


Quantum Entanglement

by Rognik



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz, Be More Chill - Ned Vizinni
Genre: Double Dating, Other, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-18
Updated: 2019-05-11
Packaged: 2019-10-12 07:59:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 23,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17463644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rognik/pseuds/Rognik
Summary: Jeremy Heere got the girl of his dreams, and became popular in school. Now what? Without guidance, will he manage on his own, or will he backslide into old habits?An idle attempt to merge the book and musical continuities together. Not sure the ultimate goal here. Formerly "Working Title". Teen rating for language.





	1. Setting the Stage

**Author's Note:**

> While at first I wanted the story to be both musical and book timeline, I've settled for musical continuity with the book taking over when it doesn't directly conflict. 
> 
> Ideally, I'm going to post a chapter a week until the Broadway debut. Probably won't finish before then, but I'll keep going if I get any feedback asking for it.

                Jeremy Heere scanned the cafeteria, looking for a place to sit. He felt odd, having to worry about this again, something he’d not thought about since the first day of freshman year. When he was that nervous, unpopular kid, he just wanted a place to quietly eat so he could finish and retreat until the next class. Then, with a squip’s help, he became popular and knew exactly where to go. Now, with his squip quiet and his social standing in flux, he had to figure out where he’d go. But then he figured, at least today, he’d fall back into his old habit and sit wherever Michael was sitting.

                Michael had found a spot in the middle of one of the tables. He was seated on the side that faced the wall, nodding his head with his ever-present headphones on. Jeremy wasn’t sure if there was any music actually playing in them this time, but it’s not like it matters. Michael has always been his best friend, even when he had pushed that friendship away.

                Jeremy moved himself to the other side of the table and squeezed a space across from his friend. He gave him a bit of a wave, just in case he was blaring music, then started eating. Even if this was one of the few times during the school day their schedules lined up, he wasn’t going to let himself starve all the way until 3.

                Michael raised his index finger to Jeremy as his head bobbed along for another couple minutes before touching something in his hoodie’s pocket with his right hand and pulling down his headphone with his left. “Welcome back, man! How does it feel to be back in the old grind?”

                Jeremy groaned. “Awful. I mean, we never really liked school to begin with, and it’s still really awkward to be back after… everything that happened.” Jeremy had missed the last few days of the fall term, but he had made a point to come to school for the last day before break so he could speak to Christine. He had told her everything, and she actually said yes to dating. However, since school was over and everyone had plans for Christmas, they hadn’t seen each other since then.

                Michael shrugged his shoulders. “I know what you mean, but hey! New semester means maybe we can reboot--” He stops himself, eyeing Jeremy carefully. “Sorry, bad choice of words. But I mean, it’s a chance to get our reputation started right. You still have some traction with the popular kids, right?”

                Jeremy shrugged. “I guess, but since I was in the hospital for exams, I have to do make-ups for all of those. Plus, with His help…” Jeremy tapped his forehead, silently referencing the squip. “I didn’t really need to learn any of the material. Now I got to start from scratch AND still learn this term’s stuff.” He collapsed onto the table, head buried in his arms.

                “Hey, cheer up, bud! I’ll help you as best I can, and I hear Christine is a straight-A student. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind giving you a little late-night tutoring, if you know what I mean.”

                “Maybe, but it would have to just be tutoring for now.” Jeremy cracked open his juice box and took a sip. He’s been avoiding all soft drinks, not just Mountain Dew, on the off-chance that it reboots in his head. “I’m still on a bit of thin ice with her. You know, ruining the play and all. I mean, she said yes, but it was like a conditional yes. Like, ‘yeah, we can have lunch, just to see if you really are worth all the drama’ yes. She keeps threatening to keep me at Level 1.”

                Michael looked confused, and understandably so. “Level 1?”

                Jeremy shifted in his seat to get into prime storytelling position. “So, she’s got this scale for dating. Level 1 is when you’re just Hooking Up, but like a one-time deal. Level 2 is Dating, when we actually get to talk and hang out and shit. It feels like I’m hovering between those two right now, except we haven’t really done any of the ‘hooking up’ part, if you get my drift.

                “Now, I want to get to Level 3, which is Going Steady. It’s basically the same as level 2, but we only see each other, while Dating means you can date other people, no commitments or whatever.”

                At this, Michael nearly squirted Coke out of his nose. “Wait wait wait… so Christine would actually be cool if you were to go out with someone else while seeing her?”

                Jeremy shrugged. “I guess. I mean, I don’t really want to ever just be Dating someone, but I guess if someone like Brooke or Chloe said they wanted to go out with me and Christine is keeping me on Level 2…”

                “Duuuuuude. Christine is freakier than I thought!”

                “You were never at play rehearsal with her.”

                “Fair enough. So, like, are there just the 3 levels.”

                “No. She’s got a 4th one, where you’re actual Boyfriend/Girlfriend, and that’s pretty much just like marriage in her eyes. Not that it’s an unbreakable bond that you’d need lawyers for, but that any sort of cheating is going to get you in serious trouble. Good thing, too, because I know my mom made hella bank with her clients.”

                Jeremy unwrapped his sandwich and bit into it. “I had made a joke about the 5th stage, where you become exes, and I think she liked that, but that was also before I knew she and Jake were...” He paused, running through the scale again in his head. “were Going Steady.”

                That’s when he saw her, and he forced himself to swallow that bite of sandwich before he choked on it. There was a girl walking towards them, and it looked to Jeremy like she had locked her bespectacled eyes on him. There was purpose in her steps, which is the only reason he actually noticed her. Not that he still doesn’t look at other girls, but he’s still not used to them coming towards him. She came to a stop right behind Michael, then did something Jeremy did not expect.

                She hugged Michael from behind, arms wrapped around him like a hipster scarf.

                Michael craned his head around to see who was touching him, and smiled back at her. Jeremy was super confused by this. When did Michael meet _her_? How? The questions raced through his head faster than even a squip could keep up with.

                “Hey, you!” Michael replied casually to the new girl. “I thought you were busy in the music room this period.”

                The new girl disentangled herself from Michael and sat down on the bench beside him. “I was, but practice wrapped up early. Plus, Pauline’s sick today, so we couldn’t even get in a full practice session, anyway.”

                Jeremy coughed, and they both turned to look at him. It took a little more nonverbal prompting of Michael before he figured out what his friend wanted. “Oh! Right, I forgot. Jeremy, this is Nicole. Nicole, I’m sure you know Jeremy by reputation now after…”

                “After _A Midsummer’s Night Tragedy?_ ” The strange girl replied, finishing the sentence for him. “How could I not, since it went viral. Went a little off-script there, didn’t you, Jerry?”

                Jeremy winced, both at the memory of the play and being called “Jerry”. Sure, it’s technically a nickname for Jeremy, but to him, it’s a bit like being called Dick instead of Richard. “It… I…” For the first time since it shut off, he wished he could talk to the squip again. At least to get through this meeting. But he swore he’d fly blind, or at least rely on the friends he had already made.

                Nicole waved her hand. “Don’t sweat it. Part of the joy of live theatre is seeing things go horribly wrong, and how the actors recover from it. Or, in your case, seeing it crash and burn like a tire fire.” Jeremy’s face was turning bright red, and he started to feel his flight instinct kick in.

                Michael spoke up at this point. “Hey, to my main man’s credit here, if the play hadn’t gotten so off the rails, he might not’ve finally hooked up with Christine.” Michael winked at Jeremy. “Say, why isn’t she here right now?”

                Jeremy smiled back at his friend, thankful for both the save and the change of topic. “She said she wanted to do some research in the library for English class. We’re supposed to meet up after school to plan what she does next. Hopefully, she gets enough of her paper written that we’ll get to hang out then.”

                Nicole scrunched up her nose in thought. “You guys talking about Christine Caniglia? She played Puck in the play, right? Man, I did not see that happening.”

                Jeremy shrugged. “I guess persistence pays off.” _New subject, please!_ “So, how did you two meet?”

                Michael slapped his forehead. “Man, I forgot I hadn’t told you! Well, as I was leaving the party that you _ditched me at,_ ” Jeremy internally winced, still feeling guilty about that. “I was going out to my car and dropped my keys. Nicole actually came along and help me find them. We ended up talking in my car for a while and we really hit it off. Besides, since I had lost my best friend, I needed someone to talk to.”

                “Look, we’ve all been there, Jerry,” Nicole said as she reached a hand across the table to touch Jeremy’s arm. “Wanting to be popular and cool is a tempting siren’s call, but once you’ve ridden that high, you find out that your true friends are all the popularity that you need.” Then she leaned over and kissed Michael on the lips. It was a quick kiss, but Michael certainly didn’t seem to mind.

                “Yeah, I think we’ve learned that lesson now,” Michael replied, with just a touch of venom coating his words. “But hey, it’s all good now! Say, maybe if Christine is free, all four of us could go out somewhere! Maybe catch a movie, or frozen yoghurt.”

                “Not frozen yoghurt,” Jeremy said flatly. “Too many memories associated with it, still.” Nicole looked quizzically at Michael, who just shrugged helplessly. “But a movie might be nice. Either of you guys see the new superhero movie that’s out?”

                Oddly, it was Nicole who spoke first. “Nah, but I’ve been trying to get this guy to go with me for a while now. I’m starting to figure out why he’s been dragging his heels for so long, though.” And then she starts poking him playfully. Michael retaliated, showing no mercy. Jeremy sighed and felt he was a little jealous. Even though she agreed to go out with him, he didn’t have that kind of relationship with Christine. At least, not yet. Still trying to make up ground for all the squip-induced antics.

                After their tickle-fight ended, Michael nodded, “But yeah, man! I’d totally be down for a movie. How about on Friday, down at the Megaplex?”

                Jeremy nodded. “Sounds good. Oh! Uh… could you pick me and Christine up? After I took the car without asking, I’m not allowed to touch the car until I’m 18, and Dad’s been hiding the keys so I can’t ‘steal’ it again.” Jeremy didn’t really see taking the car as stealing, since he brought it back and even made certain to fill up the tank! Sure, he didn’t exactly have a license, but that didn’t seem like a big deal. Not like he crashed or anything.

                Michael sighed. “Yeah, man. We’ll talk later about when and how? It’s almost time to go to class.” Jeremy pulled out his phone to check. Shit, 5 minutes until the bell, and he still needs to pick up some books from his locker. Well, time to wolf down the rest of his lunch and hustle. That’s another thing he missed about the squip: it was a far better day planner than even the 5-star apps.

                “Definitely, and I’ll mention it to Christine when I see her.” Then Jeremy’s mouth was too full of food to reply to anything for a while. Nicole rolled her eyes in mild derision then stood up with Michael, and they both left him to finish his lunch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those not familiar with the book, a few points of clarification:  
> 1\. I'll be using the book spell of Christine's last name. It's pronounced exactly as it is in the musical, just spelled differently.  
> 2\. Christine's rules are lifted straight from the book, although perhaps paraphrased. Hopefully, they will actually become relevant to the story.  
> 3\. Nicole is the girl from the party in the book. Jeremy first meets her lying on Michael while he's in the tub. Due to continuity snarl, I changed how they met, but the rest should be book-consistent. Also, since she was introduced so late in the book, she had almost no canon personality, so she might essentially become an OC.  
> 


	2. The Heroine Enters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeremy meets up with Christine, and they encounter their first problems as an official couple.

                Final period of the day was Math again, and Jeremy stared wistfully at the seat Christine used to take. Last semester, he used to stare at her in class all the time, especially as all the teachers in this school don’t seem to care that much about teaching and just go about lecturing by rote. Not seeing Christine wasn’t the only change in class, though.

                Rich started sitting next to him in class, taking up the position Jenna had the year before. However, Jeremy was the one Rich would talk to all through the class instead of Anna, leaving Jeremy to eavesdrop – whether he wanted to or not. Brooke had also started sitting with him when the shared classes, and Jake Dillinger – young star of their grade – even reserved a seat for him once. His circle of friends had grown, and he still used some of the cool-guy habits he learned then. He felt a bit like an imposter, especially without his mental coach, having the popular people actually come to him rather than the other way around. Then again, they were all good people, each insecure in their own ways, and Jeremy was ready to be a good friend back.

                One thing that hadn’t change, though, was his eagerness for that final bell. Probably everyone in the school felt the same way, since the teachers seemed as bored as the students were, if not more so. The instant it rang, barely anything else could be heard over the ruffling of papers and zippers opening and closing, then all the chatter as people filed out of the classroom like water through a clogged drain.

                Jeremy headed towards the auditorium. It had become another habit, after doing the play last year, but this time it was to meet Christine there, who had Drama last period. Another sign-up sheet for the semester’s play sat outside the door. Jeremy eyed it wearily. He enjoyed being in the play, and he wanted to do more, but he felt that, after last semester’s disaster, he might not be welcomed back. Maybe he’ll ask Christine about it later.

                Jeremy took a deep breath before opening the door, psyching himself up to see Christine for the first time as his girlfriend. Or… whatever. Labels aren’t important; the fact that he and Christine are dating is. There she was, folding up chairs that sat in a semi-circle. He vaguely remembered that was how they usually were during the first days of rehearsal, but he guessed Mr. Reyes reused it for teaching. Jeremy tossed his backpack down near the stage left stairway and went to help Christine with the chairs.

                “Oh, hey Jeremy,” Christine exclaimed, as soon as she noticed him. “You don’t have to help with these. I’m almost done, anyway.”

                “I want to help, though. It’s not a big deal. It’s not like you’re in trouble or anything, right? That you’re being punished to put the chairs away?”

                Christine paused just a touch too long before responding. “True. Besides, I was waiting for you to show up. Putting the chairs away made the time go faster, but together, we can finish even faster.” The two of them quickly put the rest of the chairs away, and grabbed their backpacks before leaving the room. “So, how was class?”

                “Good,” Jeremy said, surprising even himself. He couldn’t ever recall saying he had a good day when he was at school. “I thought everyone would hate me after…”

                Christine flicked her finger against Jeremy’s nose. “Stop that! You put yourself down too much. Then again, I suppose that’s one way I know you’re just you.” Christine turned mostly away from Jeremy, but he could still see the mischievous smile on her lips.

                “I guess that’s true. I’m still trying to find my own voice to be cheering me on, telling me I’m doing great. It’s scary.”

                “I know. And it was too easy to just let the squip steer. But, I guess it’s kind of like being in a play. Only difference is we have to improv our lines instead of memorize from a script.”

                “Improv?” Jeremy had heard the term before, but wasn’t sure what it meant. Besides, it meant he got to hear Christine talk more, and she loved explaining things she knew about.

                “Improv! You know, short for improvisation? We have to make it up as we go!” An O formed on Jeremy’s lips as Christine had turned back towards him, arms folded neatly behind her. “You should join us in Drama class. First section is all about improv, and I’m loving some of the games we play!”

                “You guys get to play games in class?!”

                “ **Improv** games, Jeremy. We get suggestions from the audience – fellow classmates in this case – and have to act out a scene based on that suggestion. Depending on the game, we might have to redo parts, or convey a certain emotion, or use a predetermined line in the scene and still have it make sense. It’s really a lot of fun. Plus, it helps you be more comfortable doing stuff you’re not used to.”

                Jeremy rubbed his elbow through his sweatshirt. “I’ll think about it. It’s just, with the make-ups and all, I don’t know how much free time I’ll have.” As soon as those words left his mouth, he kicked himself mentally. Not having time for Drama also meant not having time for Christine, right? Is she going to take it that way? Maybe she’s going to want to break up before we ever really start.

                When she hadn’t yet responded, Jeremy looked back at Christine. He had been following her absently, and only in the silence did he noticed they had both stopped walking, and she was studying his face intensely. Oh, how he had longed for her to look at him this way. And yet, being so near, having her stare with such concentration, was its own kind of embarrassment and he felt his face go red.

                “Just… think about it, OK? I know how much you enjoyed rehearsal last year, and it would be the only class we get to share this semester.”

                Jeremy quickly remembered the play sign-up sheet. He couldn’t exactly say he wants to join now, but it was still a good segue way. “So, are you thinking about signing up for this term’s play?”

                “Of course, silly!” Christine resumed walking, and Jeremy kept pace with her automatically. “There’s talk of us doing Phantom of the Opera, and I’d love it if I could get the lead.”

                “Plus, you would be playing Christine, so it’d be perfect!”

                “Huh, I didn’t think about that. Still, it’s a musical, so it takes a lot more practice time, and we’ll be working in conjunction with the music band.”

                And with that, Jeremy saw his time together with Christine shrinking even more. It’s now or never to ask, then. “But you guys won’t be starting any of that until next week, right? Got any plans on Friday?”

                “Not unless you count spending it with you.”

                Jeremy could feel his heart flutter. “Cool. Because I was talking with Michael about seeing a movie…”

                Christine frowned a bit at that. “Oh,” she replied, sounding dejected.

                “W-wait a second! I didn’t mean it like that! Believe it or not, he’s got a girlfriend, so it’d be a double date, not a friend thing.”

                “Really? Wow. I didn’t know that he was seeing anyone.”

                “Neither did I until lunch, honestly, and we had talked constantly over winter break. Either it slipped his mind repeatedly, or he was keeping her a secret.”

                “Well, it’s nice to know that your best friend now has someone to keep him company when I’m keeping you busy.” Her fingers interlaced with his, just as they were about to exit the school.

                Jeremy didn’t like winter, at least New Jersey winters. It was always cold, and snow fell far too frequently. Since third grade, it had been his job to shovel the driveway clean, and he hated every second of it. It wasn’t as bad this year. Developing his muscles had made pushing the snow far easier than years prior, but the cold still ripped through his jeans, and sometimes even his coat. Then, when he gets inside, he’s almost instantly too hot so he has to unzip it just to let the heat out. The other 9 months of the year where the weather is tolerable is just not enough to justify these 3 frigid ones.

                “So…” Jeremy said inquisitively as they stood in front of the school. “Do you want to come over to my place? We can hang out for a bit, or play some video games, or even study together if you really wanted to.”

                Christine took her time putting on a pair of fuzzy earmuffs before deciding. They had little leopard ears on the band to make the leopard print on the muffs. Jeremy thought it looked adorable on her.

                “Oh, I wish I could, but I told myself I’d get a head start on all my homework this year. New Year’s resolution and all!” She shook her mitt-covered fists in the air. “But I’m pretty sure I can spare a couple hours Friday night just for you, if you throw in dinner afterwards.”

                Jeremy grabbed Christine’s mitten hand with his own bare hand. He had meant to buy a pair of gloves, but he had kind of run low on money this year, so bare hands are his punishment. “You drive a hard bargain.” Jeremy gives one long, exaggerated handshake before the hand retreated back into his pocket. “Text you later?”

                “Not before 8, OK? I’m hoping I can get my essay done before dinner, or at least started. I know it’s still the first week, but the sooner I get this out of the way, the more time I can spend doing what I actually want.”

                Jeremy sighed as he watched Christine walk in the opposite direction from him, admiring her dedication. He was probably just going to go home and goof off for the first few hours, followed by some porn on the web. Despite the squip’s insistence, he still hadn’t quite broken that habit, and despite his time with Brooke and Chloe, nothing too serious happened with them, and it just made his boxers bunch up more.

                He pulled out his phone and called up Michael. “Hey, where are you? Think you can give me a ride home?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully this chapter was the right length. Feedback on anything is welcome and will be taken under advisement going forward.


	3. A Play Within a Play

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeremy and Christine go on their first date. They might regret making it a double-date.

                _I have got to get a car,_ Jeremy thought to himself for the millionth time. This desire was nothing new. Ever since the year started and people his year started showing up with cars, he’d been wanting one. Life in the suburbs practically depends on what set of wheels you use. Usually, Jeremy took the bus.

                It’s not that buses are bad. It's just that unless you’re in a big city like New York, or even Woodbridge, they don’t come by that often. It means that you’re more a slave to their schedule than free to travel as you wish. That’s why cars are so important, so that you aren't waiting for 20 minutes if you just missed the bus. Sometimes, the bus scheduled to come doesn't even make it.

                There were two major obstacles to Jeremy getting a car. The first one was money. Even second-hand, getting an old beater like Michael’s, that’s at least $1000 at the cheapest, and he spent a bunch of his saved money on the squip and new clothes. And he wanted a car that’s a bit better than that, which means even more money. The second obstacle would be a license. He hadn’t tried to take the test yet, but after taking the car on Halloween, no way would his dad allow him to take the test now.

                Michael’s old PT Cruiser was at the far end of the school’s parking lot. Jeremy wasn’t certain if Michael always parked there out of habit, shame, or merely exiled there. Today, Jeremy cursed it even more than usual, feeling the wind rip through his clothes and chill him to the bone. Nicole and Christine were similarly shivering, and all four of them looked forward to climbing into the car. Even before the heater turned on, the break from the wind was bliss.

                “You all need to toughen up a little,” Michael sneered at the rest of them. Despite this, Jeremy could tell he was a bit cold, too. Perhaps it was because it was Friday, and for whatever reason, he had chosen to dress up for his date. Well, if you can call a blue button-up shirt and khaki cargo pants dressing up, but it was definitely more formal than his usual hoodie and jeans.

                Nicole took the front passenger seat, which both had the advantage of her being next to Michael as he drove and letting Jeremy and Christine sit together in the back. Under her puffy jacket, she chose to wear some band T-shirt paired with a short skirt that had straps that looped up over her shoulders. The long stockings clearly could only do so much to fend off the cold, as she cranked the car's heat up as soon as the engine roared.

                Looking over at Christine, she gave Jeremy a small smile, but looked away quickly and kept her hands folded neatly in her lap. It didn’t look like she had made any special effort to dress up for the date, wearing a simple pink blouse and jeans. If she was wearing any makeup at all, it was too subtle for Jeremy to notice. He still thought she looked beautiful, admiring her even more if she was indeed going with an _au naturel_ look.

                Jeremy himself had opted to give himself choices, depending on how Christine had dressed. He had on a red plaid shirt, unbuttoned with a graphic T-shirt on underneath. His jeans were one of the newer pairs, barely worn or washed, and belted neatly. If it had looked like Christine had gotten gussied up for the date, he would’ve buttoned up the shirt and tucked it in. As it is, it stayed unfastened. As much as he wanted to reach across the middle seat bump, just to hold Christine’s hand, he felt world’s apart from her right now, and decided to play it cool for the ride over.

                It was about a 15-minute drive from the school to the Megaplex. Michael and Nicole constantly bickered over the music on the radio, with Michael constantly pulling rank that if he was driving the car, he got to pick the tunes. In between these bouts, the conversation ran the usual gamut of the day’s classes, TV shows airing recently, and the latest internet memes. Christine and Jeremy shared their thoughts on the topic, but otherwise seemed lost in their own heads. Jeremy started to feel a bit sweaty, though whether that was nerves or a combination of his jacket and the car heather, he couldn’t tell. He just congratulated himself on applying extra antiperspirant that morning.

                Next, as the quartet filed into the movie complex, they quickly debated on who would pay for what. After some negotiation, they agreed that the girls would buy the tickets, but the guys would pay for the snacks. That way, the guys could feel a bit chivalrous and the girls got to be empowered, or some shit like that. Jeremy’s idle calculations also told him that the girls would be spending slightly less money, but wasn’t about to point that out; he had figured that out before, and factored it into his arguments.

                They entered the theatre a good 20 minutes before the film was going to start. Not many people were there yet, so they had lots of choices on where to sit. Nicole took the lead, opting for seats squarely in the middle, and close to the back wall. She said she liked to be in the back of the theatre, so no one could see what they were doing. Jeremy thought that sounded a bit odd, but nobody objected to the seats.

                Jeremy offered to help Christine take her coat off before he took off his own, and they all settled into their seats. On the screen, there was some pre-show advertisement for an upcoming movie, including some banal trivia about one of its stars. Nicole had pulled out her phone and was opening some app.

                “This theatre allows you to play a few games before the movie starts,” she explained. “It’s mostly just a time-waster, but I do get some loyalty points for next time.” Jeremy wondered if she had bought her tickets with points, and cursed that he hadn’t thought to try the same.

                They kept chatting and watching the screen until the lights dimmed, indicating the movie was about to begin. It was one of the big superhero crossover movies, and Christine had mentioned she hadn’t seen many of the others in the series yet. Jeremy assured her that he’d explain any questions she had about the characters or plot that came from one of the previous movies.

                It was a few minutes into the movie, and the first big action scene was about to start. Jeremy turned to tap Michael and excitedly bask in the CGI glory when he saw that he wasn’t actually paying attention to the movie.

                Michael’s face was firmly attached to Nicole’s.

                Jeremy wasn’t sure, but he guessed that Nicole had initiated it. Her one arm was wrapped around his neck, with the hand disappearing inside his collar. Between the dark and the angle, he couldn’t quite tell where Michael’s hands were, but both were clearly touching Nicole. He kept watching for another whole second before feeling too awkward and looking away. He felt burning jealousy towards his friend, that they were going to make out in the theatre and he…

                He looked over at Christine. Her face was engrossed in the film, doing her best to follow the plot. He reached down to the armrest that separated the two and slowly raised it, removing the barrier between them. Then he sidled over closer to Christine, wrapping his arm across her back and pressing his knee gently against hers.

                Christine briefly turned from the big screen to look at Jeremy. He froze like a deer in headlights, but she cuddled up against his chest before looking back at the action. Clearly, she approved of what he was doing. He looked back up at the screen in time for one of the heroes to get thrown into a skyscraper. Carefully, he took his free hand and rested it gently on her thigh, fingers lightly grazing the inside. It rested there for a moment, and when no protest came, his fingers gently wandered up and down the inside, being very careful how far up and down it went. Christine responded in kind, and Jeremy felt his own jeans getting very tight, suddenly. His hand that was on her shoulder wandered up to her hemline and tried to sneak inside.

                “Hey!” Christine hissed, swatting the intruding hand out of its would-be raid. “I’m trying to watch the movie.” She shifted just enough away that Jeremy couldn’t feel her warmth against his chest any more, but his arms stayed where they were before. Jeremy entered an internal panic. He knew this was code that he goofed up somehow, but he didn’t know how much and what to do about it. Should he take his hand off her leg? Should he just concentrate on the movie? Should he try to get close to her again, and if so, how long should he wait? The only thing he was certain of was that he fucked up, and he shouldn’t press his luck any farther.

                Jeremy spared one last glance over at Michael and instantly regretted it. He was practically on top of Nicole by now, and he knew exactly where his hands were, as well as hers. Trying hard not to catalogue it, he turned back to the screen, watching one of the more comedic scenes in the movie. He tried to lightly pull Christine closer to him again, but she offered enough resistance that he stopped. They stayed as they were, half-cuddling in silence, aside from the odd laugh or gasp.

                It was a grueling 2 hours before the movie ended and the lights came up. It wasn’t that the movie was bad, quite the opposite. No, it was that his best friend was making out six inches away from him, and he hit a wall when he tried the same. He didn’t know how much of the movie the pair had ultimately seen, but by the time the lights came up, they had both settled back into their respective seats. Both boys insisted on sitting through the entire credits, knowing there would be one final scene after they all ran. It was a PSA performed by one of the heroes, part of a running gag in the movie, talking about patience and how sometimes it just doesn’t pay off. While many audience members, including Nicole, booed at this, Jeremy secretly admitted the joke was actually kind of funny.

                The foursome stood up and stretched, having been seated for far longer than appropriate. Jeremy suggested getting dinner somewhere, remembering Christine’s condition for the date, but she suddenly mentioned needing to get home. Jeremy felt a dagger stab his heart, having a sneaking suspicion of why she seemingly changed her mind. In the ride home, Christine was excitedly recounting the events of the film, making comments on the acting and pacing of the story, truly seeing it from an actor’s perspective. It was Nicole and Michael’s turn to be strongly quiet, and Jeremy, knowing why this was so, tried to make up for their silence. It was hardly needed, as Christine had words enough for all four.

                When they reached Christine’s place, Jeremy got out, too, to walk her to her door. She tried to protest, saying how that wasn’t necessary and women’s lib and all that, but Jeremy insisted, wanting to be with her just a few minutes more. They walked up the half-shoveled walk and paused in front of her front door. Then Jeremy asked the question he’d been dying to ask for a while.

                “Christine, are you mad at me?”

                Christine’s keys clattered from her hand, not quite making it into the lock. She looked up at Jeremy, true concern on her face. “What? No! Why would you think that?”

                Jeremy rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, it’s just that at the theatre…”

                “Oh, that!” Christine interrupted. “OK, maybe I’m a bit pissed, but it's fine. I just don’t feel we’re at that stage yet. I want to get to know the real Jeremy Heere first, the one without a secret coach.” She tapped his forehead twice for emphasis. “Maybe I’ll say yes in a week or two. But ask first!” She pointed at him, sternly but with a light smile on her face. “Besides, I’m surprised you were so bold. You never struck me as the type.”

                Jeremy tried to laugh, but it came out stilted. “Well, if I don’t try, I’ll never learn the limits, right?” He surprised himself with that line. He thought he sounded smooth, or at least not his usual nerdy awkwardness.

                Christine ducked down and scooped out her keys from the small patch of snow where her keys had landed. “I guess that’s true. All right, you’re forgiven for now, but that doesn’t mean my borders are open, if you know what I mean.”

                Jeremy sighed, slouching forward as he did so. “Yes, ma’am. Can I at least kiss you goodbye?”

                Christine makes a big show of considering the option. The wait was agony. Then she grabbed his coat, pulled him down for a quick peck, then disappeared through the door in one graceful action. Jeremy felt himself swell again, and instantly wanted to surf the internet.

                Back in the car, Michael craned his neck around, taking this chance to talk before the road demanded his full attention. “Well, that was a bit savage. What, is she playing _tsundere_ on you?”

                Jeremy glared at him. “Shut up and drive.”

                “Ooh, Rhianna! Nice.” Nicole started hunting for her on the radio. “Oh, and try not to sweat it too much. Christine clearly likes you, or she wouldn’t be teasing you like that. You only bicker like that with someone you really like a lot.” And then, as if to demonstrate, she and Michael began arguing the merits of R&B and rock versus reggae and rap.

                “So, wanna come over to my place for a bit?”  Michael asked. “Or are you in a rush to relive your date at home?” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively into the rear-view mirror. Jeremy cursed, as Michael had clearly noticed his 'discomfort'.

                “Actually, can you let me off at the grocery store? I have a couple things I need to pick up for dinner.” It wasn’t entirely a lie. Since Jeremy thought he’d be having dinner out, he hadn’t planned something for himself at home. There was something else he had in mind, though.

                “Sure, man.” Michael looked over at Nicole briefly, who looked back at Jeremy, but Jeremy had no idea why. She looked away quickly enough.

                It was only a few minutes walk home from the store Michael let him off at, so they parted there by the entrance. Jeremy quickly looked for a clerk and asked, “Do you sell individual cans of Mountain Dew?”


	4. Machina Ex Aluminum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeremy drinks the Mountain Dew to reactivate the squip. Getting used to it again, though, might take some time.

                Jeremy stared intently at the can of Mountain Dew sitting on his desk. Even now, he kept debating with himself over whether to actually open the can and drink it, or walk away now, before falling back onto this crutch again. He was doing all right so far, wasn’t he? Using all the lessons he had learned, he was happier at school. It’s just Christine isn’t working out as he hoped. Then again, the squip never seemed to line up properly with her. Maybe it was just the wooing part that was defective? But that didn’t explain Brooke. Or Chloe.

                He screamed, placing the heels of his hands over his eyes and scratching at his hair. This might all be easier if he just knew he had some Mountain Dew Red to fall back on. Instead, he browsed the web for as much info on the discontinued variant that he could find. He couldn’t find a list of ingredients anywhere, and he didn’t expect a recipe to be available, but there were a few images of the drink in the bottle and poured into cups. One Reddit thread even suggested which food color dye would make the best substitute. A small bottle of that exact additive sat on the other side of the desk, right next to the cup he brought upstairs and a spoon to stir it afterwards. With any luck, this combination should satisfy whatever on/off switch the squip has. And if not…

                Jeremy shook his head. Life on the squip honestly wasn’t that bad. In fact, it was a bit reassuring having the back-seat driver, a voice that could reassure him that he was doing the right thing, even if it felt a little wrong in the moment. It was just when it started to spread, when he briefly considered making everyone ingest a squip without their consent, that he realized things were that bad. He’d like to think that his willpower is stronger than that now.

                He really, really hoped so.

                With a deep breath, he cracked open the can and poured the entire contents into the glass. The bubbles foamed up to just under the lip, threatening to spill over the side but not quite reaching. He watched a stray small drop fly out as the carbonation settled before the fizziness lessened and settled a half-inch lower. He lifted the glass and hesitated one last time, his last chance to back out. But he had to know, had to try and find out.

                Jeremy tilted his head back, drinking about half the glass before putting it back down. Immediately, he took the small dropper of food coloring and added a few drops and stirred, repeating this until it reached the right hue. He kept comparing it against the image on the screen, his only real frame of reference. This might be a vain attempt, but it was the only solution he could figure that was practical. Asking Michael was not a solution, not without making him ask a bunch of uncomfortable questions. His source in the back of Spencer's Gifts? Might not even have any for weeks, if ever again.

                As soon as the consistency looked right, the pain seared through Jeremy’s brain. It felt similar to the first time, but not quite as intense. Instead of knocking him to the floor, it felt a bit closer to the worst brain-freeze he ever had. It still prevented him from thinking, to registering the words echoing in his mind. He had heard them all before, though, and it wasn’t until near the end when something different happened.

                **Initiating Super Quantum Unit Intel Processing Version 2.5. Jeremy Heere, your squip has been successfully installed.**

                Version 2.5? Jeremy couldn’t remember if it had mentioned a version number before or not, but that felt new. He could only briefly ponder this before the squip spoke again.

                **Jeremy, why have you reactivated me? I thought I told you to upgrade, that I was defective and you should get the latest version.**

_Oh, really?_ Jeremy thought with as much sarcasm his mind could muster. _Was that before or after you tried to enslave the minds of all my castmates?_

**That doesn’t sound right. Yes, the play went badly, but only because Christine got upset you interrupted the play. Not… Hold on a second.**

                The voice went silent. Jeremy wondered if it had shut itself off, or there was some malfunction. Either way, he decided to take his glass over to his bed and lie down there for a bit.

                **Jeremy, there seems to be an inconsistency between my logged profile of you and your memories. Have you taken any pills lately, prescription or otherwise? Sustained any head injuries?**

                This confused the teen. Aside from his collapse after the play, Jeremy had been the picture of health. And while Michael might like to enjoy the odd blunt, he never saw the need to partake himself, despite repeated offers.

                **Odd. Clearly, I need to update your profile. Go look at yourself in the bathroom. Don’t forget to lock the door so we don’t get interrupted.**

Jeremy hesitated. This didn’t sound at all like the squip did before. Well, it still had the same voice, the same intonations echoing in his mind, but there was still some subtle element that was decidedly different, some part of it he couldn't put into words.

                **Please, Jeremy. I believe this to be the fastest way to resolve both our confusions. Then, if I am right, we can discuss this change and why you have chosen to reactivate me. Without accurate data, I will be worse than useless to you.**

                Its arguments made sense. They were logical, and nothing about them suggested to Jeremy that the squip was being anything but genuine and honest. Slowly, he rose from the bed and shuffled down the hall. Just as he was about to enter the bathroom, though, he saw his father standing in front of the toilet. His hand came up to shield his eyes from the sight, but it already felt like it was burned into his brain.

                “Aw, Dad! Close the door if you’re going to use the bathroom!”

                Jeremy’s father flushed the toilet before responding. “Sorry about that. You kinda caught me mid-stream. I thought you’d already gone to bed! Besides, we’re all men in this house…” Jeremy rolled his eyes as this familiar argument got used again.

                **At least your father seems to fit the old parameters.**

                Jeremy wasn’t certain if that was comforting or mortifying. He waited until his father finished washing his hands, despite repeated insistence that he come on in anyway, then closed and locked the door. He leaned against it for a moment, gathering inner strength.

                **Now take off your clothes.**

                This gave Jeremy pause. _What, even my boxers?_

**Especially your boxers. I need to see all of you to update my profile.**

Slowly, Jeremy complied, heaping the clothes in a pile on the closed toilet lid. He hesitated a bit before shucking off his shorts, staring at himself totally naked in the mirror and feeling self-conscious. But as he examined his reflection, he realized that he wasn’t nearly as scrawny as he remembered. Doing push-ups every morning instead of browsing for porn had given his arms and pecs some much needed definition. His stomach was pathetically flat, but at least it wasn’t round and sticking out like his father’s. And his legs…

                **I see that you are circumcised. The last time I mentioned it to Jeremy, he seemed hesitant to get it done. Should I assume this wasn’t a recent thing?**

The squip’s comment pulled him out of his own self-reflection. _Pretty sure it happened when I was a baby, if that’s what you mean. It’s been like that as far as I remember. I never really thought about it. Seriously, what is going on?_

                **Jeremy, I believe I have figured out why your profile doesn’t line up with my memory banks. Tell me, do you remember what “quantum” means?**

_Um, that you can store a lot more memory than traditional computers?_

**That, and I have limited ability to see into other possible timelines. I believe something similar to that has happened here.**

“What are you saying?” Jeremy exclaimed, words bursting from his lips before he can restrain them.

                **I believe I am from another timeline, where your past and mine – such that it is – are different.**

                “Another timeline!” Jeremy exclaimed. “What does that even mean?” Before getting the squip, telepathy seemed like a cool power. It was only after constant communication with the squip did he realize how different talking and thinking really were, and talking was just easier. If he thought he could, he preferred to speak aloud to the squip than try to think it to him.

                **Let me try to put it in terms you’d understand. I am capable of seeing thousands of options, calculating probable futures based on the smallest of inputs. Jeremy, every decision made, sometimes even a choice to do nothing, creates a new timeline. Thousands of different variations created by the simple flap of a butterfly’s wings. I believe I am from one of those variations. How I wound up here, I could not begin to guess.**

“So… you’re from another dimension?”

                **Some use that term. An alternate reality feels more accurate, but use whatever makes you most comfortable. This error should clearly be reported back to headquarters. Have you filled out a complaint form on the website?**

“Uh… I didn’t think squips had a webpage. You were underground, can’t look up on the web technology out of Japan.”

                **Strange. Go to your computer. Let me try for myself.**

                Jeremy gathered up his clothes and headed back to his room. It was late, and his father was probably in bed, so he didn’t really see a point in getting dressed again. He booted up the computer and waited patiently as the browser opened up. The squip took over at this point, typing in a long string of letters, numbers and symbols that would have been laborious to relay manually. Once the string was entered, they waited. After a few minutes, the browser returned, "Error 404: Page not found."

                **I suppose this is to be expected of alternate realities. Perhaps I can find it another way. Oh, and do try to pay attention, Jeremy. Learning some basic hacking skills will help you in whatever future you choose to pursue.**

                First, the squip went to the Sony homepage. By default, the American English version loaded first. Jeremy’s eyes scanned over the page, but it was really the squip who was reading all the details. After browsing a few of the pages there, the squip switched to the Japanese version. There, at the top of the page, was the image of a gray, oblong pill with a smiling face and small arms poking out of its sides. Jeremy couldn’t make out any of the words on the site, though, and perhaps the odd number interspersed among the swooping symbols.

                **It seems that the official Japanese launch is scheduled for April. No word about international sales. There should still be a place for beta-tester feedback, but my data is obsolete, or never applicable in this world. This is a small problem.**

“Is it, though?” Jeremy was getting sleepy, and annoyed at dealing with this crap. He might not have been so annoyed if he could’ve relieved some stress through stimulation, but now that he was no longer alone, that was clearly not an option. “Your malfunction is not exactly my greatest concern. Besides, I… didn’t exactly get you legally.”

                **Yes, the backroom of a Payless shoe store, by a…**

                “Don’t say it!” Jeremy hissed. “Can you delete that part? I don’t want the guy to get in trouble.”

                **I preserve all knowledge I disseminate from your brain. However, as I have knowledge that is clearly not applicable, anyone who might access the information may disregard it as extraneous.**

                “Once again, in English?”

                **Because I have two realities worth of data, some of it will conflict with our current reality. Should someone hack into me - which has not happened to my knowledge - it would take some time to filter out what details are applicable in this reality and what are not. Don’t worry. The security of your personal information is extremely safe. Any information shared with other users is strictly anonymous, and personal information is never shared in the squip network - the squipwork, if you will.**

“You’re sharing my personal info!?”

                **That is the opposite of what I said. Besides, this was all disclosed in the terms and services when you activated me.**

Jeremy vaguely recalled seeing or hearing something like that before the squip fully activated. It was immediately after his entire body felt like it was burning from the inside, though, so he was hardly in the frame of mind to read legal jargon. As soon as it came up, he waved it away. Besides, who actually reads those things, anyway?

                **Now, since contacting technical support is not an option, care to tell me why you chose to reactivate me? I can take no further action without knowing your exact desires. I would like to avoid making things worse, intentional or otherwise.**

Jeremy flopped onto his bed, covering himself with his sheets as he planned his words. “Well, it’s about Christine…”

                **I thought that you had already won her over, and the two of you were dating. Your problem was never talking to her.**

“Yeah, I know all that! It’s just… I went on my first date tonight, not just with Christine, anyone. Brooke was sweet, but all we did was make out. And Chloe merely used me to make Jake jealous. Don’t get me wrong, being with both of them made me far more comfortable around girls in general, but dating is just, like, a whole ‘nother level, you know?”

                **So you lack confidence in your dating skills. Afraid you’re not going to seal the deal?**

“For the last time, it’s not like that!” Jeremy stared at his ceiling, frustrated that words fail him so. Then he remembered that he didn’t need to rely on words. He closed his eyes, and tried to remember every detail of their date, from 3 o’clock until Christine made it home. When he was finished, he felt really tired and was ready for the sweet embrace of sleep.

                **Christine is indeed a bizarre creature. She subverts nearly every expectation parameter I have for her. Perhaps there are more details that you are missing, data I cannot access, but there is little more I can do at this point. Are you certain you want my help on this matter, knowing full well what happened last time?**

Jeremy was simultaneously caught off guard by this question and ready with a response. He had weighed nearly every option over carefully, constantly debating with himself from the moment he found a can of Mountain Dew on the store shelf until the moment he drank it, so he knew this is what he wanted, even if it felt wrong. He just hadn’t expect the squip to ask or even care.

                “I’m certain, but don’t expect me to blindly follow you. Even if it takes longer, explain the logic before you tell me to… buy new shirts.”

                **There will not always be time to explain, but I understand why you don’t fully trust me. Just remember that if you ever want to be alone with your thoughts, simply dismiss me with your thoughts or say “shut down” or something similar. To call me back, say “start up” or think about me coming back.**

“I could do that this whole time?”

                **Of course! Did your squip not tell you that?**

                “No! And speaking of which, how come I can’t see you?”

                **I am inside your brain, merely sending encoded messages directly into your cranium. There is no way you could see me.**

                “But before, you were walking around and…”

                **I believe I have accessed the subroutine you mean. It seems I can manifest myself in a visual form you desire. You can even choose a model and voice track separately, if you prefer. Would you like the AR or HUD version?**

“Guh?”

                **The HUD version would create a small, semi-animated image that you could always see in the corner of your vision. Where it would be displayed, along with its appearance are entirely your choice. The AR version would create a full 3D model that can move around in the world. Be aware that, despite how realistic they might seem, the AR model cannot directly interact with anything, even other squips.**

“I think I want the AR version. I just got so used to having someone around to look at.”

                **The default voice and form are still Keanu Reeves. Do you wish to keep those settings and activate AR Squip?**

Again, Jeremy had to pause at the question. It was true, he was used to associating the squip with Neo, but seeing as this squip claims to be an entirely different identity, perhaps a chance in avatar would be for the best. “Who do you have?”

                **My library seems much larger now, including several celebrities I had not heard of. Who is this Justin Bieber?**

Jeremy deliberately ignored question and quickly distracted the squip with another. “Do you have Brad Pitt?”

                **Apparently, yes. He must have agreed to give the rights to his likeness over in this universe. Other popular choices include Princess Leia from Episode 6, anime heroine Asuna, and Samuel L. Jackson.**

And suddenly, he was lost in the deluge of options. He knew he was going to reject the female options, as he was far more comfortable confiding in a male figure than female. Then, remembering everything from this day, he thought he found the perfect choice. “Do you have the rights to Iron Man!?”

                **Presumably, you refer to the actor who plays Tony Stark in all those movies as opposed to merely his comic book image. Or perhaps you mean from the comic-**

Jeremy audibly groaned.

                **Right. Voice and body of Robert Downey Jr. it is. Would you like him in or out of the suit?**

_Out._ Cool as the Iron Man suit might be, Jeremy just isn’t _that_ nerdy.

                **Very well. This will take a few minutes to load. Considering the hour and your tiredness, it might be best if we both log off for a while.**

Jeremy couldn’t agree more. His eyelids had been getting heavy for a while, and he was ready to give way to the oblivion of sleep. Except that there was no oblivion waiting. Much like his first night after activating the squip, he started to dream again. He dreamt that he and Christine were at the beach, but while he longed to touch her, she was splashing about in the water, drifting out further the more he tried to get closer. All the while, Michael and Nicole were beside him, intertwining until it was impossible to tell where one ended and the other began. Jeremy started to feel this all made no sense, but as much as he wanted to stop it, to take control of this dream, he was trapped, forced to watch this twisted, tortured nightmare until long after he could bear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not totally satisfied with the dream sequence, but I felt I had to include one. Maybe if I think of better metaphors for Jeremy's horrors, I'll rewrite it,


	5. Enter, stage right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The squip updates, and someone stops by the Heere house unexpectedly...

                Jeremy’s eyes opened as sunlight poured through the bedroom window. While it makes for a decent alarm on weekdays, he curses its intrusion on the weekend. Still, he could tell that he was awake now, and there’d be no going back to sleep any time soon. Time to start the day…

                **Good morning!**

                It took Jeremy a moment when the new voice intruded in his head. For a split-second, he briefly thought that reactivating the squip was just another nightmare, but there was his red Mountain Dew on the nightstand, flatter than a sheet of paper. He turned slowly, scanning the room until he saw him.

                **And how is my intrepid squire doing? Is my form up to your liking? I must say, I do cut a dashing figure…**

                There, leaning against his computer desk, was what looked all the world for a holographic projection of Robert Downing Jr., dressed in a black suit. There were subtle clues that he wasn’t real, such as being translucent. But the way he moved, touched things… it would be easy to forget.

                “Are you sure you want to stay in a suit? That seems awfully uncomfortable.” Jeremy regretted the words as they came out, but as good as the man looked in a suit, he liked the character for his casual attitude as well as his heroics.

                **Well, if you don’t like what I’m wearing, perhaps I’ll just raid your closet.**

                The squip walked into Jeremy’s closet and emerged a second later. Sure enough, the avatar was wearing different clothes: Jeremy’s old striped shirt, blue sweater and a pair of old jeans.

                **Better?**

                "Now you’re just making fun of me.”

                **Speaking of, you best get dressed. If you don’t at least put some shorts on, you’ll have another Mortification event in 26 seconds.**

                Again, Jeremy didn’t get it right away. Then he pushed the covers away and realized he had slept in the buff last night. He had almost never done that before, wearing at least his boxers from the day before if not sleep pants. He lunged from the bed, passing right through the squip avatar and started sniffing the clothes he could grab. He managed to pull on an acceptable pair of boxers to wear before the door burst open and his father came in.

                “Dad! Can’t you knock? It’s…” Jeremy glanced over at the clock. 11 am? Somehow, he thought it was earlier than that.

                His father was also looking over at the clock. “Well, it’s late enough that I thought if you weren’t awake yet, it was time for me to get you up.” Jeremy was still horrified that his dad was wandering around in a white, sleeveless undershirt and briefs, all the while leaving his house robe wide open, but he didn’t expect that to change any time soon. _‘It’s my house, and if I want to wander around naked in it, I should be allowed to!’_ he once said, and that was when Mom was still around.

                Jeremy went looking for some pants. “Well, I’m up. What do you want?”

                “One of your friends is at the front door. Says he’s your partner for some school project. You should’ve told me if someone was coming over.”

                Gears turned in Jeremy’s head as he tried to put this all together. “It… must have slipped my mind.” The lie flowed easily from his lips, knowing that a small lie would be easier than trying to explain a complicated truth. “Wait, did you answer the door dressed like that?”

                “Don’t be silly!” His father pulled his housecoat closed. “I made certain to tie up before I opened the door.”

                Jeremy doesn’t say a thing, tired from the constant embarrassment his father brings. “Well, can you put on something while we’re working downstairs? It’s bad enough you dress like that around me…”

                His father straightened up into a salute. “Yes, sir! Don’t take too much longer, though, as he’s waiting downstairs for you.” Then the door closed and Jeremy was alone again, at least physically.

                _Any ideas who that might be downstairs?_ Jeremy thought to the squip.

                **Based on your father’s limited information and your social circle at school, I would have to assume it’s Rich. If it was Michael, you would have been told that, and there are only two other males at your school who might lie to see you. Of those choices, Jake is a far lower probability than Rich.**

                Jeremy finished getting dressed, then headed downstairs to meet his mystery guest. It was indeed Rich, who was looking about the house the way people do when bored in a new environment. The red streak in his blond hair had faded quite a bit, now just barely visible. He had already taken off his coat – something that seemed pushy to Jeremy – leaving him in a shirt with sleeves down to his elbows and camouflage cargo pants. As Jeremy descended, the short teen looked up and waved. He seemed excited, but Jeremy had no clue as to why.

                “Jeremy, my dude!” Rich called out excitedly, as if they weren’t meeting in his house. “Sorry if I woke ya, but I thought you’d be up by now.”

                Jeremy initially only wanted to fake a yawn, but it quickly turned into a real one. “You greatly underestimate my ability to sleep. Besides, what is there to do on a weekend morning?”

                “Well, sometimes we had early morning practice for football, but the season’s over now. A lot of the guys joined the hockey team, but I thought I’d give sports a bit of a break.” There was sadness in Rich’s voice, and he looked uncomfortable.

                “Yeah? Well, I’m not on a sports team, or in any club, really. And we don’t have a class project to do, either. Why are you here?”

                Rich started to look nervous, the bravado he had all last semester disappearing. For a split second, Jeremy remembered Rich from back in freshman year. That short kid that didn’t talk too much, that folded in on himself and didn’t seem to have any friends, was Rich all along. Jeremy had never even given him a second thought back then, registering his presence the same way he did furniture. It was odd to see his new friend this way, reverting back into old habits and letting his guard down so much.

                “I… needed to get out of the house. I needed to be around friends, but most of my new friends are at practice, and watching practice isn’t what I need, you know? You’re the only other person I can really turn to.”

                Rich started to rub his arm, and it pushed up the sleeve of his shirt. That’s when Jeremy noticed the bruise forming just above Rich’s elbow. He could only catch brief glimpses of it between the fingers and sleeve, but there was definitely discoloration that wasn’t a birthmark or something like that. Even if Jeremy had considered turning Rich away, that option was completely out now.

                Jeremy turned his head to shout up the stairs. “Dad, we’re going to work down in the basement, okay?” There was a muffled, vaguely consenting noise from upstairs before Jeremy led Rich down the stairs to the basement.

                The basement was semi-finished, but set up in a way that was comfortable enough to chill with a friend or just blast some old-school zombies. There were two doors that led off the room, one to a small bathroom and one to the laundry and boiler room, whose door was almost always closed. Jeremy rarely went in there, still getting used to doing laundry since his mother left.

                “Wow, sweet set-up!” Rich cooed, plopping down on the couch facing the TV. “Say, do you have the latest _Kill All People_ game?”

                 Jeremy sat down a little more deliberately. “No. I can show you the games I do have a bit later, but I kind of want to talk for now.” He swallowed, using the time to plan out his next words. “Is… everything OK at home?”

                  Rich’s exuberant attitude disappeared again, as quickly as it had been restored at seeing the game consoles. “It’s… not worse. Today, my dad just got off to an early start is all. But I mean, you know how it is. You told me your dad drinks, too!”

**That was a mistake.**

                   Jeremy had forgotten about the squip for a while, but there its avatar stood, leaning against the wall across from the two, giving him the most disgusted look.

_You were the one who told me to say it! Well, the other you._

**It probably seemed like a good idea at the time, when there was a low probability of Rich ever coming over to your house. Factors have changed, and now you’re caught in a lie. Do you want to admit that you lied now, or double down and see how long you can get away with it?**

                   Jeremy peered at the squip avatar. The old squip would just tell him what to say next, and he assumed it would probably encourage continuing to lie. This new squip seemed far different in more ways than just having a new skin. It’s true that both versions repeatedly insisted that they were only interested in what was best for him, but this one has far different ways of doing so. Its eyebrows raised, and it waved a hand towards Rich, reminding Jeremy that time was passing and Rich would become suspicious if he took much longer.

                   He took a deep breath, preparing his words as he did so. He was about to extend the lie, something like how his father only drank after work or that he just passed out after his drinking, leaving Jeremy alone. Then he remembered something else, something the squip had told him: **_‘a shared negative opinion is the fastest social bond’._** And squips aren’t well-liked at Middle Borough any more.

                   “Yeah. Yeah, I did say that. Or rather, my squip told me to say that.” Rich’s face changed at the mention of the squip, taking on a look something like anger, but there was some other emotion mixed in. “Look, I never meant to hurt you, and I can’t even imagine what it must be like for you, but… you can stay here if you like. As long as you need to.” Just hopefully not too long, or that might make for some awkward conversations with his father.

                   “I… thanks, Jeremy. For letting me stay, I mean. After the fire, things have been rough. The guys on the team started razzing me more than usual, and people who I thought were my friends started avoiding me. They all think I set the fire intentionally, but I didn’t! Well, not really. That damn joint rolled under a chair, and then the carpet lit up. Not to mention, my squip was trying to make me do things that were just so…” Rich held out both hands. They were shaking, fingers curls upwards as if trying to grasp something invisible. Then, both hands closed as Rich sunk, feeling the weight of the decision. “I thought the weed might have kept her quiet, but instead, I ended up in the ICU.”

                   Jeremy listened quietly. There had been so many versions of the story spread around school, including one that for some reason, Jake had actually set the fire. This was the first time he’d heard this version, one that could only have come from Rich. Uncertain what to say, Jeremy just reached out and placed his hand on the other’s shoulder in a gesture of support. Unexpectedly, the smaller boy wrapped his arms tightly around him, resting his head against the other’s stomach. Jeremy didn’t pull away, instead patting the blond hair that nestled against him.

                   Rich’s voice was muffled as he spoke. “I’m… pretty sure that’s what happened, anyway. That night is such a blur now.” He turned his head up to look Jeremy in the face. “You’re probably the only other person I know who’d really understand. The guys at the play? They only had squips for like a minute, tops. They have no idea what it’s like to have one in your head every day, forcing instructions and feelings on you.” Jeremy couldn’t help but look over at the squip again. He definitely understood, and now felt a little guilty about his decision from last night.

                   “Whatever it was that happened, it’s all right now. Jake’s legs are healed, and I hear he’s staying with his aunt since his parents are still wanted for laundering money. Also, we’ve turned off all the squips and the ones not used in the play got flushed. They won’t be turning on again.” _At least, not unless anyone else drinks Mountain Dew, which seems unlikely._

**I can assure you that Rich’s squip is inert. It’s still there, transmitting what he sees to the squipwork, but I can’t link to it, so it isn’t influencing him in any way I can detect.**

                   This did comfort Jeremy quite a bit. After hearing the echo of his own squip after asking out Christine, he had worried that one of the others might have somehow stayed active. Instead, this seems to ensure that it was just a trick of his mind, especially as the new squip is so different. Although, that might just be the upgraded version. The other dimension thing seemed pretty out there.

**As out there as a supercomputer in a pill that can tell you what to do and access petabytes worth of data in seconds?**

                   He had forgotten it could read his thoughts, too. Still, everything seemed to be going smoothly so far, and the squip has only given the occasional nudge, not outright commands. Maybe reactivating it wasn’t such a bad idea after all?

                   “I hope not,” Rich replied. He reclaimed his arms, but his head stayed in the taller boy’s lap as he spun around onto his back. “They were bad news. I was insulted constantly, then expected to thank her afterwards. I didn’t realize just how messed up that was until the voice was silenced. Although… in a weird way, I do miss her.”

                   “It is kind of weird to think things on your own and not have someone comment on them after having it happen for so long.” _And it’s weird to suddenly have that happen all over again, once you got used to it being gone. Maybe it’s the change that’s weird?_ “But we’re probably better off on our own.” Probably.

                   Rich sighed, but then smiled at Jeremy. “Dude, I so needed this. Just being able to rant about life to someone who isn’t going to judge me. The guys on the team mock anything that doesn’t go with the traditional story. I can’t talk to my family about this. Even online, people would just pass this all off as bad fanfiction or roleplaying or something.”

                   “N-no problem,” Jeremy stammers out. Sure, Rich became friendly towards Jeremy after their squips linked, but they never really hung out outside of school except at Jake’s party. Even then, Jeremy was with Brooke, then Chloe, then Christine. Come to think of it, he’d never hung out with girls that much before that night, and then it was nothing but girls. Right here right now, though, hanging with Rich was… odd. It was different from hanging with Michael, and almost felt… more like when Chloe had invited him upstairs. There was a certain tension in the air he couldn’t quite name, and he couldn’t shake this paranoid feeling that at any moment, his father could come on down and get the wrong idea. Was it even the right idea? Rich did say he was bisexual.

                   Rich catapulted up and spun so that he was now sitting with his arm across the back of the couch and lounging low in his seat. “So how’s it going with Christine? Jenna’s been saying she hasn’t seen you two together all that much at school.”

                   The change in Rich’s body language and topic made Jeremy’s head spin. It took a while before he could recover enough to answer. “Oh, um, everything’s… good?”

                   Rich seemed to pick up on the upward lilt in the last word, making it more of a question than a statement. “Yeah, that’s real believable.” He slapped Jeremy against the chest. It wasn’t that hard, but it still made Jeremy wince. “Tell me the truth. I won’t go spreading it around.”

                   Jeremy wasn’t sure what to do. Rich seemed like he would honestly keep the information to himself, but there was a huge difference between saying this kind of stuff to someone like Michael, his best friend as long as he could remember, and someone who once bullied him but was now nice to him.

**Be honest with him, but don’t go into details. You need to confide in him like he just did with you, but you don’t need to go quite as deep.**

                   The squip had moved to behind Rich’s head, to better coach Jeremy without making him turn his head so much. Even if it had mostly been watching, these moments are why Jeremy had decided to reactive it.

                   “Well, she… oh, I don’t know what I’m doing with girls! Even when I was kinda sorta dating Brooke, I had no idea what she saw in me that made her like me at all. Even then, the squip made me kind of a jerk to her, and I’m not sure we even had a real date. All the ‘lessons’ it taught me just weren’t the way I wanted to be with girls. And the one girl I did want to get with? They seemed to repel her more than win her over.”

                   Rich nodded sympathetically. “I know what you mean about the lessons. Like, I have no idea why picking on you made me more popular, but it certainly seemed to work. Thinking back on all that now, though, I feel really guilty about it. I’m real sorry about all I did to you. You’re actually pretty cool guy.”

                   Jeremy couldn’t help but smile. “Thanks. Both for the apology and the compliment. You’re also cooler than I thought you were when you kept slamming me against the lockers.”

                   Rich shrugged. “The squip told me to shove you into a locker. Funny thing, she meant inside of one the first time. I’m not sure you would’ve even fit.”

                   “Even if I did, I know it would’ve hurt to get out. I’m not claustrophobic or anything, but getting trapped in something is one of my biggest fears.” It was actually 23rd on the list, but it’s a very long list.

                   “I think most people are like that. Fear is just a natural reaction to danger. Sometimes, though, you need to just swallow your fear and do it anyway. Like talking to people.”

                   “Ugh. Public speaking Is the WORST. I dread having to do oral presentations.”

                   Rich and Jeremy continued to chat for a while. They never came back to anything serious, but Jeremy enjoyed having another friend to hang with. It was only when Jeremy’s stomach growled that they decided to head back upstairs for some lunch. Mr. Heere had thankfully put on pants. One less thing to dwell on later.


	6. Love and War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeremy and Rich bond over video games, and shared personal experiences.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to any loyal readers for not updating last week. I had initially promised myself weekly updates until Be More Chill's Broadway debut - which I managed, somehow. Then last weekend, I actually made it down to New York City to see the Broadway preview of the show. I might even integrate some of the new changes into future chapters, if I feel so inspired.

                Rich was a surprisingly courteous guest. As soon as the three of them had finished eating, he volunteered to wash the dishes, even before the Heeres could say a thing. There wasn’t even much to clean up, just the plates they ate off of, but all the same, Rich made certain to scrub them, dry them and put them away neatly. Jeremy never even thought to do that at Michael’s place, and he’d been there quite a lot over the last 12 years. Then again, you hardly want a 7-year-old trying to scrub a plate that is bigger than his head. Even so, this is a side of Rich that was never shown at school.

                “So tell me more about your school project,” Mr. Heere asked Rich. Jeremy grimaced. They had successfully avoided that topic all through the meal, but NOW the topic is brought up, just when they were about to escape to the basement again.

                Rich hesitated, hemming and hawing, giving Jeremy a pleading look. All Jeremy could do is shrug; it was Rich’s lie after all.

                **That’s no reason to hang him out to dry. Tell him it’s a history project.**

“It’s a history project!” Jeremy volunteers, just as Rich says, “It’s a math assignment.” The two boys shot looks at each other as they directly contradict each other. Jeremy clears his throat and steps forward a bit.

                “It’s a project on the history of math. We’re to do research on a topic, like geometry or algebra, and detail some of the key figures who helped develop that type of math. Like how Newton invented calculus.” Wait, when did he learn that fact?

                **You’re welcome!**

Mr. Heere looked at the boys with surprise in his eyes. “Wow, that sounds pretty complicated. Far more difficult than anything I had to do in my high school days.”

                Rich interjects at this point. “Maybe, but school has changed quite a bit since those days. Like, we write on paper in notebooks instead of on slates with chalk.”

                “Just how old do you think I am?”

                Jeremy pushed on Rich’s shoulders, guiding him out of the kitchen. “He was just yanking your chain, Dad. Also, it’s more of an extra-credit project, since we both missed the end of exams. I mean, you remember Rich from the hospital, right?”

                Realization dawned on the balding man’s face. “Oh, I knew he looked familiar somehow! It’s nice to see you out of those casts, and your skin has healed nicely. You looked really bad back them.”

                “I’m feeling great now, Mr. H!” Rich responded, giving a thumb’s up over Jeremy’s high shoulders.

                “Anyway, we should get back to it. We aren’t going to get that much done today, since we still need to do a bit more research. I’ll probably be late coming home from school the next few days, assuming you don’t work from home again.”

                “Oh, I don’t think I’ll be working from home any more, Jeremy. Unless the weather gets really bad. Let me know if you boys need anything, and I can bring it down for you.”

                Rich’s face lights up. “Ooh, could you-“

                “We’ll be fine, Dad, thanks.” Jeremy lightly pushed Rich through the door leading down to the basement and said to him in hushed tones, “We really don’t want him coming downstairs at all, remember? We’re not really going to be doing any work.”

                “Oh, right, right…” Rich looked a bit sad at this. “I just really wanted something to snack on while we were down there, you know?”

                “Didn’t you get enough to eat?”

                “Yeah, for lunch! But we’re going to be down there for a while, and I’m still a growing boy!” Rich gave a big, muscly pose from the bottom of the steps, and Jeremy wondered how exactly Rich was growing. He certainly wasn’t getting taller. Then again, he was taller than most people in his grade, so maybe it was just a matter of perspective.

                “Fine. I’ll sneak up in about half an hour when my dad settles in to watch college basketball, and grab some cookies or chips from the cupboard.”

                **For each cookie you eat down here, I’m adding 2 push-ups to tomorrow’s regimen.**

_Seriously?_ Jeremy glared at the projection that always seems to be just out of view when other people are around. _You’re still making me do those even now?_

**If you don’t keep exercising, your body will slowly revert to your pre-workout shape. I already detected some slight degradation, since I assume you didn’t keep it up while I was offline. Or at least, some version of me.**

_I was told to take it easy that first week after getting out of the hospital! I guess I just… forgot about it after that._

**Well, that’s one of my many functions: to schedule your life for you.**

_You know they have an app for that now…_

**Yes, but I’m a lot harder to ignore. By the way, Rich just asked you why you haven’t sat down yet.**

Jeremy blinked, then noticed Rich on the couch, holding a controller in each hand with one extended out to him. Jeremy took the controller and placed it on the seat. “Sorry about that. I was just a bit lost in thought.” That was technically the truth.

                **It was completely the truth, Jeremy. Don’t lie to yourself.**

_Shut up!_ The lanky teen turned on the TV, turned the volume down quite low (just in case of a sudden blast of noise alerting his dad upstairs), then started to set up the game console. “Tell me, what do you want to play? _Apocalypse of the Damned_ is usually my go-to with Michael.”

                Rich made a face. “That old zombie game from the 90’s? Didn’t think anyone still played that.”

                Jeremy shrugged. “We like it. It had a couple of sequels, but they were never quite a good as the original. We could also try _Radioactive Veil._ It’s a survival horror by the same people who made Apocalypse 1, where you need to be careful with your bullets instead of shooting everything on site.”

                “Sounds lame. Don’t you have any newer games that are just mindless violence?”

                “None that are two-player…” Jeremy didn’t even need to turn around to see Rich’s head roll around. “Fine. How’s _Epic Adventure XI_ sound? I’ve beaten it a few times, so I can help you out if you need tips.”

                “I guess that sounds cool. I’ve heard of the _Epic Adventure_ games before, but I never played one. It’s a fantasy game, right?”

                Jeremy popped the protective case open and placed the disc carefully into the console. “Yeah. Maybe not quite the action game you’re looking for, since this one is still turn based combat, but the motion is very fluid and there’s a bit of blood. I hear the next game is going to be real-time combat, and the fan forums are ablaze in outcry.”

                Rich switches from a laid-back, sprawled out pose to one leaning forward, eager for the game to load. “That doesn’t surprise me. Whenever a beloved series does something completely different from an earlier game, people complain. If the game is too similar to the original, they complain, too, because it’s not innovative enough. It’s extremely hard to please anyone when you’re making a sequel unless you had it planned out from the start. Even then…”

                Jeremy picked up the player 2 controller and flopped down beside Rich. “I guess. Then again, lots of people seem to be digging nostalgia these days. There’s a lot of indie developers out there making retro-style games now that ape the look of 80s or 90s games, but have far tighter controls than the classics ever had. I guess it’s just impossible to predict what some people will like.”

                **Gee, if only I had heard that 6 months ago.**

Jeremy was surprised to hear the squip be sarcastic. He briefly wondered if that was thanks to RDJ or being the 2.5 model, but the game’s introductory cutscene banished that thought from his head. Rich wanted to skip it, but Jeremy insisted he let it play; he liked it too much to ever skip. He’s ashamed to admit that he even watched it a couple times on YouTube when he was too lazy to start up the game himself.

                Rich started up a new game in a slot Jeremy reluctantly erased, and then he played through the tutorial. Once he got comfortable with the controls and got stopped by yet another random encounter on the map, he asked, “You mentioned Michael earlier. He’s the headphones guy, right? You never told me back when he came to visit you.”

                “Really? I could’ve sworn I had. But yeah, he’s been my best friend for as long as I can remember.” Then Jeremy got a feeling in the pit of his stomach. He suddenly remembered the OTHER question Rich asked back then.

                “Is he seeing anyone? He’s kind of cute, after all, and I mean, I am bi now. I kinda want to see how much I’ll like the other side.”

                “Y-yeah, he is. I think.” Memories of the movie date started swimming through Jeremy’s head. The squip suddenly seemed alerted by something and disappeared completely from Jeremy’s vision, seeming to swat at something. “Nicole something. I don’t think I ever learned her last name.”

                “Oh.” Rich seemed a little disappointed by that, then had his knight slash through a goblinoid enemy. “Well, who else should I ask? I could see if Jake…”

                “Pretty sure he and Chloe are still dating.”

                “Dustin Kropp?”

                “Not a good idea. He is super homophobic, and the instant he realizes you’re hitting on him, he’ll let the whole school know it faster than Jenna Rolan could tweet it.”

                “But that would be one way to be out at school.”

                Jeremy shrugged. “You got me there.”

                Rich idly tapped his finger against the shoulder button, thinking. “What about Mark Jackson?”

                Jeremy tilted his head to think about that. He was kind of a loner, usually eating lunch by himself with his face in the latest portable game system. It wouldn’t surprise him to learn that Mark was dating his DS, or maybe confused one of those imported dating sims as a digital girlfriend.

                “Honestly, I can’t say either way. I don’t really know who at our school is gay, straight or bi. I just don’t pay attention to that stuff.”

                “Yeah, says the guy who was chasing Christine for 3 years.”

                “How do you know that!?”

                Cheerful victory music chimes from the TV as Rich gives Jeremy his full attention. “Dude, I’m not blind. You might not’ve noticed me freshman year, but I sure noticed you. I so wanted to go over to you guys back then, try to join your buddy duo, but I was too chicken-shit to think you cool guys would want me as a friend.”

                Jeremy choked on air. “Us? Cool? In what universe were you living in?”

                **Certainly not the one I was from.**

                “To me, you were!” Rich insisted, inching closer on the couch, legs tucked neatly under him. “Remember, I wathn’t the thuave dude I am now.” Jeremy couldn’t tell if Rich was intentionally making his lisp worse or not, but it was extremely noticeable now. “I almost asked you guyth thophomore year, in Theptember. Do you remember?”

                **I got this.**

Before Jeremy had a chance to try and dig up the memory on his own, he felt the squip tug in his brain and a faded memory of a boy who looked vaguely like Rich was walking up to him and Michael in the lunch room. He had a bunch of cards in one hand and his bagged lunch in the other. He couldn’t remember what he was talking about with Michael, but he did see in that memory that Rich’s face changed, and he turned away sadly. At the time, Jeremy barely noticed the kid and didn’t give him a second thought until this very moment.

                “Actually… I do. Barely. You had just bought some card game?”

                Rich suddenly looked very excited and scooted a bit closer again. Jeremy reflexively backed up a bit. “You DO remember! I had heard you gave Michael a Magic: The Gathering card for his birthday, so I grabbed a starter deck and was going to ask to play with you guys. That’s when you said you didn’t play any more.”

                That was trigger enough to bring back the rest of the scene. “Oh, right! I think I actually said something like, ‘I’m not going to the Friday night games because I can’t afford to keep up with the meta’ or something like that! No, dude, we still played. I think I still have my black-blue deck upstairs somewhere…”

                Rich looked stunned by this, then smacked the back of his neck, giving his head a good shake afterwards. He slumped against the sofa's arm. “Wow. No wonder I was so lame back then. I think I ended up selling all those cards on eBay to pay for my squip later that year. A couple of the cards in that deck happened to be in high demand and sold for quite a bit. I got my money back and then some.”

                Jeremy snorted and patted Rich’s now-exposed shin. “Don’t worry. We both found out that Magic is an expensive hobby, considering the tournaments only allow for cards printed in the last two years to be used in play. We ended up quitting not too long after that. Or at least, I did, and Michael stopped talking about it with me.”

                “Still, it might have been a way for me to connect to you guys and then I wouldn’t have needed Chatty Miss Cathy in my brain. Then again, I never would’ve become friends with Jake without it.” Rich hmmed, then shrugged. “I guess it all worked out in the end, even if it was a winding, twisted road.”

                “Really?” Jeremy asked dubiously. “You had second-degree burns over most of your body and had inhaled a lot of smoke that night. Are you sure you wouldn’t want to erase at least that night?”

                Rich went quiet and still. His knees blocked most of his body from Jeremy’s view, so he couldn’t be certain what he was doing. However, he did raise his head after a few minutes and replied, “Actually, I don’t think I would. I mean, maybe I could have prevented Jake’s legs from getting broken, yeah, but sometimes, great things are born out of tragedy. I mean, Jake’s sports career might be over because of me, but maybe he’ll find out he likes photography because of that. Or maybe he’ll take up art and will paint a picture of us together to show me that there are no hard feelings. Or maybe he’ll write a song and let me know in his lyrics that he isn’t mad at me any more…” The sobbing that started two sentences back now overtook any words that might come out of Rich’s mouth, and tears started streaming down Rich’s face. He smacked his neck again, but that only seemed to make the tears flow faster.

                Jeremy was completely gobsmacked. If he had been told 6 months back that Rich Goranski would be in his basement, sobbing like a baby, he would’ve thought that person drunk or high, possibly both. The two of them even being remotely friendly seemed unlikely, but now here he is, having to comfort a bisexual, vulnerable, sobbing Rich with an inactive supercomputer stuck in his head. Oh, that’s right. The squip was still around, or so he thought. Start up?

                **I never turned off. Just worked hard to keep the bad memories away and improve your long-term memory recall. Wrap your arm around him, hug him from the side, and then, when his belly is exposed, blow a big raspberry on his belly button.**

_Um, what?_

**You know, motorboat your lips against the bare flesh near where his umbilical cord was cut.**

_Yeah, I know what a belly button and blowing a raspberry are. I just don’t get why you want me to do that._

**Just trust me, you will. He’ll like it. Now do as I said.**

Jeremy sidled as close as he could, wrapping his arm around Rich and letting him sob out the tears that had probably been held in for far too long. Rich was a tough dude, and his situation at home may have been rougher than Jeremy thought, but everyone could use a good cry every now and then, even guys who think they’re too tough to do so.

                They sat like that for a while, Rich resting his head on Jeremy’s right shoulder as the taller teen gave a one-armed hug. Jeremy’s logic told him it wasn’t gay if there’s just one arm involved. Not that hugging is all that gay, but it made him feel better, however irrational the logic. The victory music still droned on, helping to drown out Rich’s tears, although it was starting to get a bit repetitive. Jeremy didn’t think he would ever have gotten tired of the victory music, until right now when a 10 second pattern had been looping for minutes.

                Rich eventually did feel better, wiping the remains of tears from his eyes as he sat back. He looked like he was about to say something to Jeremy when he launched his surprise attack. Both hands tugged up Rich’s shirt, and his lips went straight for the belly button, blowing the wettest raspberry ever. Rich couldn’t help but laugh at the sensation against his skin and pushed Jeremy’s face away as soon as he could.

                “Damn, dude! How did you even know I like that kinda stuff?”

                The smile on Jeremy’s face fell as Rich said this. He thought it was just some kind of silly horseplay prank, making a fart noise right after crying would be just so random that most people would laugh. Or maybe Rich was just ticklish in the belly, and that would’ve distracted him from his bummer feelings. Now it’s some kind of… sexual fetish, maybe? Jeremy didn’t know what to make of it, so he replied how he normally would’ve.

                “I- I didn’t! I just thought you needed a laugh, so I blew a raspberry on your stomach. It… was a lucky guess?”

                “Hey, hey. I said I liked it. No need to feel bad or strange. In fact, if you want, we could…”

                “Still with Christine, though.” Jeremy briefly recalled her rules, and while they still hadn’t explicitly said where they were on her scale, he figured she probably would be OK with him dating someone else at the same time as her. He immediately rejected that thought, though. He still wasn’t interested in dating anyone other than Christine. Plus, just because she might’ve been all right with Jeremy dating another girl at the same time, there’s no telling how she might react if she found out he was dating a guy. And this is all ignoring whether Jeremy wanted to or not.

                **Well, do you?**

_I don’t know! No? I never really thought about it before. Besides, why do you care so much?_

**Part of my programming is to find you proper companionship. To do that, I need to know your preference. The other you was very insistent that he was straight, even though he was often questioned for being gay.**

_Nothing new here._

**Yes, except I never saw him interested in another male before, sexually. I now have two recorded times of you being attracted to Rich, and it seems you were feeling jealous toward Michael.**

_Because he had a girlfriend who would make out with him at the movies! Not because I wanted to make out with him!_

**If you say so.**

_Shut down._

The squip avatar that had been haunting his periphery vanished, leaving only Rich’s curious face and the looping victory music to distract Jeremy from his own brain. “Well?”

                Shit! He’d gotten so inside his own head that he missed Rich’s comment again, and this time, no squip to inform him what he missed. “Sorry, I spaced out again. What did you ask?”

                “Would you want to? If you weren’t with Christine, of course.” Naturally, Rich was asking him point blank about dating. Lovely. Well, at least he was thinking about this exact thing.

                “I-I don’t know! Maybe? Look, this is all too new to me, and I mean, I kind of like you as a friend, but I don’t know if I like you as more than that. Or if I would ever have feeling like that.” He takes one of Rich’s hands inside both of his own. “I’m not rejecting you, exactly, but I don’t want to date anyone other than Christine, at least right now. Maybe in a few weeks, I’ll come bi and then we can talk.” Jeremy has no idea if his little pun was understood, but Rich seemed to accept it.

                “Well, I guess I didn’t lose anything in asking. Who do I have to blow to get a boyfriend in this town?” Jeremy briefly considered making a comment, then realized maybe that was the joke all along.

                “Hey, maybe we can get you a girlfriend in the meantime, hmm? I mean, Brooke is still single. So is Jenna, Madeline, Katrina…”

                “Katrina as in Brooke’s sister? Probably not a good idea. When I first met up with the popular kids, I told them I had just broken up with Katrina.”

                Jeremy briefly remembered his first meeting with Chloe and Brooke, when he had lied about dating Madeline. Guess people don’t know that much about who is dating whom at the school after all.

                “Well, that doesn’t mean you can’t date her now, right? I mean, Chloe and Jake break up and get back together all time. I think Jenna said 4 times last year.” Jeremy hated that he knew that, but that was all Jenna and Anna seemed to talk about during their shared Math class. That, and Jenna’s friend, Elizabeth.

                “I’ll… think about it.”

                “Great. Now in the meantime, can you end the battle and save? I think I’ve gotten sick of EA XI for a while.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus points to anyone who can name what any of the video game names were inspired by. Apocalypse of the Damned doesn't count.


	7. Chekov's Cola

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had this chapter for a while, but I wasn't fully happy with Chloe's dialogue. This is about as good as I'm going to get it, I think.

                “Are you certain you’ll be all right?” Jeremy asked from the doorway.

                Rich gave a strong nod. “If not, I know who to call, right?” Although his tone of voice was joking, Jeremy couldn’t help but think he might be serious.

                “Yeah. If you ever need help, you’ve got my number. No reason you need to be alone in this, right?”

                “See you in Math, then!” And with that, Rich leaped off the porch and sauntered his way home. Jeremy watched for a bit before closing the door and locking it. “Start up.” The squip instantly appeared, standing at the base of the stairs.

                **Now that he’s gone, we should probably do some actual homework to free up tomorrow.**

_Why? What are we going to be doing tomorrow?_

               **We need to convince Christine to spend more time with you. With her being in the play and you being unable to participate, that cuts into possible time together. Thus, we need to engineer a reason for her to spend time with you.**

                _I guess that makes sense…_

                **Now, let’s see what classes you two share… None? Did you two not talk about scheduling your classes for this term?**

             _Not really. When I ended up in the hospital, I missed the deadline. Besides, she only agreed to date me on the last day before the Christmas break. It was too late to change schedules by then._

**You didn’t even inquire as her friend? Well, I see we have some work to do. Oh, and I see I’m equipped with wi-fi. Time to do a little research.**

                The squip avatar walked out of Jeremy’s point of view, which seemed to mean he was busy with other tasks and left Jeremy to his own devices. He left up the stairs two at a time and headed into his bedroom. He started looking about to find his backpack, but his eyes fell on the glass of red fluid sitting on his bedside table. The concoction had gone completely flat, and was unquestionably room temperature after sitting out all night. He had forgotten all about his anti-squip weapon, and worried it might not be effective any more. He crossed the room, picked up the glass and held it under his nose as if that would indicate if it’s gone bad or not. He lifted the glass to his lip.

                **I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Jeremy.**

“Oh?” he asked the avatar that was now leaning against his desk. “Afraid it’s going to work?”

                **I’m a machine. I’m incapable of feeling emotions. However, you do and YOU are afraid it might work.**

“Excuse me?”

                **You spent a lot of money to get me all those months ago. I know you don’t have the resources to get that much cash again – at least, without stealing it. You did reactivate me intentionally, after all.**

“S-so? It’ll just turn you off, right? I can just turn you on again.”

                **If it’s the right formula, it will permanently destroy me. I’m meant to be dissolved and flushed from the system, leaving behind no trace. Kind of like those signs for hikers: leave the woods as you found them.**

“Then that means…?”

                **Christine should be the only one of your former castmates without a squip, yes. Now if you don’t want my help any more, you’re free to drink it. It might not even work, after all. But are you really willing to take that risk?**

Jeremy tightened his lips together, eyes moving from the cock-sure smirk on the squip’s face to the red liquid in his hand. It had only been about a day that the squip has been active, and so far, it has proven itself to be helpful. Then again, it took a few weeks before the other squip showed its true colors, too. He stood there for a few moments more, weighting the options before sighing in defeat.

                “You’re right. I can’t do it. Not yet. But that doesn’t mean I fully trust you.” Jeremy took the glass downstairs, poured it into a sealable bottle and hid it in the back of the refrigerator. “There. That should keep it for a few more days.”

                “That should keep what?” Jeremy jumped at the voice of his father, peering around the corner from the dining room. He had forgotten that his father was home still, and could easily hear him talking aloud.

                “Oh, it’s… a science experiment!” Jeremy quickly lied. “Don’t touch the bottle of red stuff in the back of the fridge. I need it for school.”

                Mr. Heere looked confused. “I thought you were doing a math assignment with Rich.”

                “I am! This… is something else I started last night.”

                A few heartbeats later, and the elder Heere merely shrugged. “Whatever. Just try not to interrupt me again. You’re lucky there was a commercial on between periods.” Jeremy rolled his eyes as his father disappeared behind the wall again. His father was a big fan of college basketball, and would often fall asleep watching some of the games. Even before his mother left. Jeremy never saw the appeal himself. Watching a bunch of people he didn’t know play? Seemed like a waste of time. Even though he sucked at b-ball, he’d rather play with friends than watch it any day.

                **This is why you’re not supposed to talk out loud to me.**

 _It wasn’t exactly directed at you!_ Not that it would have mattered. Spoken or thought, the squip would’ve known his plan, not that it’s a secret either. In this Cold War, that red Mountain Dew was his nuclear warhead, which can hopefully outpower whatever control the squip had on his body.

                Jeremy bounds back up the stairs, he enters into his room and turns on his computer. A spectral hand presses on Jeremy’s shoulder; somehow, the squip can activate the nerves on his skin to make it seem like its hand is there, but there’s no weight behind it. Somehow, Jeremy knew that the squip’s lips were right against his ear.

                **I thought we said to stop this bad habit of yours…**

                Jeremy’s hand waves through the squip’s head. “Yeah, well Rich got me all riled up and I need to cleanse my palette. Unless you think I should be calling Christine right now?”

                **At this hour of night? Not for that. Might not be a bad idea to…**

                “Shut down.” The squip instantly goes quiet, and Jeremy carried his laptop over to his bed to get in a more comfortable position. He watched videos on his favourite site until he was spent physically and sleep claimed him.

* * *

                The rest of the weekend was quiet. Finish up some homework, log onto World of Warcraft for a while, and soon enough, the sun rose on Monday morning. As usual, Jeremy counted the seconds down until lunch, but when the clock struck twelve, something unexpected interrupted his lunch.

                “Move over, losers!” Chloe said as she abruptly sat down, shoving Michael as she did. He and Jeremy looked at each other before either dared speak.

                Michael was the one who dared to speak first. “Don’t you normally sit with Brooke and Jake at lunch?”

                Chloe gave Michael a withering look. “Normally, yes, but Jake and I broke up again.”

                Jeremy sighed. “What did he do this time?”

                “Can you believe he actually agreed to be Katrina’s lab partner?” The boys shrugged simultaneously. “You _know_ about their history together, don’t you?” They both shook their heads. “Katrina was the first girl that Jake ever hooked up with!”

                “Ohhh,” Jeremy and Michael intoned in unison. Neither of them really bothered to keep up with the gossip that floated around the school. Michael may have eavesdropped on various classmates during lunch, but he rarely paid attention to the relationship drama. Jeremy, meanwhile, only absorbed what Jenna would tell Anna, and even then, only reluctantly.

                “And now you’re sitting with us?” Jeremy asked, then instantly regretted it.

                “It’s better than sitting alone. Clearly, I can’t sit with Jake any more, and Brooke is siding with her twin instead of me!” Chloe spoke as if that concept was impossible to comprehend. “You guys are a step down, but Jerry here still has some cred from last term.”

                “Jeremy,” he correctly weakly. “And thanks, I guess?”

                Chloe picked up her fork and jabbed it into her penne salad violently. “Now I need to find myself a new boyfriend to prove that I don’t need Jacob or his stupid, hot abs.” Jeremy had a feeling that, much like last Halloween, she was merely looking for someone to make Jake jealous enough so they’d get back together again for the 7th time that school year. “What about you, headphones?”

                Michael looked like a deer caught in the headlights. “Gee, Chloe, I’d love to, but I kind of have a girlfriend now. Nicole Usagi.”

                Chloe stabbed her fork into her pasta a few more times, now contemplative instead of murderous. “Nicole… that short punk rock chick who plays guitar?”

                “Bass, actually.”

                “Huh. Well, good for you.” Then Chloe’s predatory glance turns to Jeremy.

                “Uh… I’m still with Christine. Thanks, though.” Even if he wasn’t, the last time he was alone with Chloe was traumatic enough he’d rather not do so again.

                “Are you? Then why isn’t she sitting with you guys?”

                Jeremy slumped lower in his seat. Michael responded for him. “She’s been eating lunch in the library. With her being in the play this semester, she uses this time to learn her lines somewhere quiet.”

                “Huh. She hasn’t dumped you yet? Maybe she is a fan of the acned look after all.”

                Jeremy took a deep breath to calm himself. Chloe is one of the three hottest girls in school, but her personality leaves something to be desired. He knew it was just hiding buried insecurities, but that didn’t make her comments sting any less.

                Michael piped up, “Jesus, Chloe, are you born this savage or do you have to practice every morning?”

                “Oh, lighten up, you two,” Chloe dismissed with a wave of her hand. “You want to feel validated, go cry on your Tumblr. A true friend will tell you the harsh truths you don’t want to hear.”

                Jeremy couldn’t deny that he and Michael have often told each other things the other needed to hear but would have preferred not to. “You still don’t have to be so insulting when you do,” he muttered mostly to himself.

                Chloe dropped her fork and pointed a long, pointy fingernail towards Jeremy. “Listen here, Heere. The world isn’t a nice place, and only the mean cut it. If you can’t deal with a little bad press, you’re already doomed. I mean, just look at Katrina.”

                “Why, what happened to Katri-?”

                “ANYway,” Chloe cuts off Jeremy before he can fully respond. “If you boys are both taken, yet are still sitting without them, I’m going to need to find someone else for future lunches. Maybe I’ll be able to stomach Jenna’s constant stream of gossip.”

                “You could always try sitting with Rich?”

                Chloe nearly fumbled her tray at that, then laughed cruelly at Jeremy’s suggestion. “Sit with that loser after what he did last year? Now THAT would be social suicide! He’s burned far too many bridges – and houses – to rebound from that.” And with that, she stalked off, scouring the rows of tables for fresh prey.

                The boys watched her for a little bit as she left. Chloe always had a way of making her presence known, no matter where she went. Then Michael turned and asked Jeremy, “Why’d you throw Rich to that lioness, dude?”

                “Uh… because he’s lonely?” It wasn’t so much a question as a statement of fact in an uncertain fashion. “I mean, why else would he have come over to my house unannounced and just hang out for most of the day?”

                “I guess, but that’s still super weird, isn’t it? How’d he even know where you lived? Did you tell him, ever?”

                “No, but I wasn’t that surprised. Probably just Googled me. There aren’t that many Heeres in the phone book. Not that they print those any more.”

                “Speaking of things you don’t see any more…” Michael’s head swiveled back and forth. “Where IS Rich? I don’t think I’ve seen him in the caf since the term started.”

                Jeremy felt a pit settle in his stomach. Although he was concerned about Rich’s well-being, he hadn’t once thought to seek him out during lunch. He had been assuming he would come to them if he was truly craving companionship. “I… I don’t know. I know he’s coming to school, at least. I’ve seen him in class.”

                “Creepy… You don’t suppose he got super powers and can turn invisible now, do you?”

                “C’mon, Michael! Be serious! This isn’t some comic book.”

                “Says the guy who bought a pill-sized supercomputer a few months ago.”

                Jeremy pulled out his phone and waved it around. “Yeah, and 20 years ago, this thing would’ve been considered science fiction. ‘Mini computers that double as telephones from anywhere? Madness!’ ” He pitched his voice up a bit to emphasize the mocking. “Besides, weird devices are always getting created by small startup comp-“

                **…call her tomorrow, though.**

“-anies. Shit.” Jeremy had forgotten to turn the squip back on after Saturday night. This whole turning the squip on and off took some adjusting to. The projected avatar also seemed a bit glitchy, as it initially appeared as an overlay on Michael. Their movements slowly desynchronized, which made for an image that hurt his eyes. Jeremy closed his eyes and put his right arm overtop, just to give them time to rest from all that he was seeing and not-seeing.

                “What? What’s wrong?” Michael sounded very concerned, and Jeremy felt a hand touch the arm blocking his eyes. “You don’t curse unless there’s something wrong.”

                Jeremy couldn’t tell him the real reason, that he had forgotten about the squip and left it in standby for almost 2 days. Even mentioning the squip restarting would make his friend whip out the outdated soda cure, and then this would all be over. He opened his eyes, and then the idea came to him. It kind of looked like he was crying right now. Why not use that to his advantage? He sniffed a huge sniffle, then blinked a few times as he lowered his arm. “I just realized that Rich must’ve been eating alone since he got back. How could I have not noticed?”

                Michael shrugged, pulling out his own phone and tapping vigorously on the screen. “To be fair, it is kind of a big cafeteria. You expect to notice one little guy in a sea of hundreds?”

                “That’s not making me feel better.” Jeremy sniffed again.

                Michael’s phone lets out a soundbite ripped straight from _Apocalypse of the Damned._ His bespectacled eyes lit up, and the phone got turned around. “What about this? Nicole’s actually seen Rich just before she started practice. He’s hiding in the choir room.”

                “The choir room? Why would he be up there?”

                Michael shrugged. “Don’t ask me, ask him. You done eating?”

                Jeremy sorted through what remained of his lunch. “It’ll keep. Let’s go find Rich before he disappears again.”


	8. A Love By Any Other Name

                Jeremy was only vaguely familiar with where the choir room was located. He knew the drama section very well, mostly from the play last term, and knew the music section was quite near, but he never read the other signs. He was pretty sure one of those rooms was used as a changing area, since it was a big, open area where people could spread out. Michael led the way, walking with his usual level of confidence – whether it was earned or not.

                They both peered through the window in the door once they found the room. Indeed, there was a sole figure sitting the middle of the floor, with his lunch spread in front of him. There was something a bit sad about how he was shoving carrot sticks into his mouth in a classroom with no real tables or desks. Jeremy took a deep breath and, with his hand on the handle, asked, “Are you ready to do this?”

                “Actually, I was thinking of going next door to see my girlfriend?” Michael had the decency to look guilty about this. “I mean, we are right here, and I kind of want to hear what kind of songs she’s playing. I promise, though, if they finish up, I’ll come right over with her.” Before Jeremy could even protest, he had already backed away and was halfway in the band practice room. As the door swallowed him, he said, “You got this, bud!”

                Jeremy growled softly at this abandonment. Then again, it’s not the first time someone he counted on left right when he needed them the most. Swallowing that anger, he swung the door open to the choir room and entered.

                Rich’s head popped up as soon as he heard the latch turn. He looked worried for a second, but calmed down greatly when he saw Jeremy’s face. “Phew, you scared me there! I thought it might’ve been Ms. Rayburn coming back early.”

                Jeremy shook his head. “Nah. It’s just plain old me!” He started to slide his hands into his pockets, but pulled them out as if he was shocked. He wasn’t, and he made sure he wouldn’t be. “You been eating lunch in here all year?”

                Rich looked back down at his lunch and unwrapped a triangle of sandwich. “Since school started again, yeah. I tried to brave the caf the first day, but Chloe made it clear she didn’t want me around Jake, and Jenna had made certain everyone else knew what I had done. I would’ve eaten outside if it hadn’t been winter, so I found a room that was empty and unlocked. So long as I don’t leave a mess, I get to stay.”

                Jeremy lowered himself down, sitting cross-legged. “Why didn’t you come sit with me and Michael? I wouldn’t have minded, and I know Michael would be cool, too.”

                Rich shrugged. “Would you? I had no idea what you thought after everything, and I didn’t have my squip to guide me. You know, I even considered drinking Mountain Dew again, just to see if that would turn her back on again?”

                Jeremy glanced over at a corner of the room where the teacher’s desk was set up. The squip was sitting on the edge of it, leaning forward with its chin in one hand, smirking amusedly. “Really? What a crazy idea…”

                “Right? But then I saw how strong you were. You were almost more hopeless than I was before I took my squip. Almost. And yet you seem to bounce back far better than I have. That gave me the strength to resist slipping back.”

                **Well, now. Aren’t you inspirational?**

_Shut up! I don’t need your sass right now._

                **Don’t you? I see one possible future where you get cocky because I don’t remind you of your mistakes. Now, go back to telling him how strong you are without me.**

                Jeremy desperately wanted to make a rude gesture at the squip, but settled for very vividly imagining it. He hoped it had the same effect. “Well, I suppose I have Michael to thank for that. Having someone to help you through these tough times is a real asset. A necessity, I’d dare say.” Rich’s head lowered, and Jeremy tried to keep eye contact with him. “Don’t you have any friends from before you took the squip?”

                Rich shook his head. “No one noticed me before, remember? I was all alone, and practically invisible. All the friends I did make while on the squip turned on me afterwards.”

                Jeremy put his hand on Rich’s chin and forces his head up. “Not all of them. I’m here for you, whatever you need, whenever you need it. We’ll get through this together, even if it takes the rest of our lives.”

                **Bravo. I couldn’t have said it better myself.**

                _It’s a pretty stock line in TV and movies. Cliché as all hell, but effective and appropriate to this situation._

                Rich appeared to be on the verge of tears again, struggling to hold back those feelings. He was at school now, and someone was bound to make fun of him if they suspected a thing. “What about Michael? Won’t he get mad if I bogart all your time?”

                “Michael will understand if he knows it’s for a friend. And if he doesn’t, fuck him! That just means he wasn’t that good a friend to begin with.”

                Rich shook his head in disbelief. “You’re a good man, Jeremy Heere.”

                “You’re not so bad yourself, Richard Goranski.”

* * *

                Later that day, after school, Christine approached Jeremy. “Hey, are you mad at me?”

                Jeremy did not expect this. “N-no! Why would I be?”

                Christine looked down. “It’s just, you haven’t talked to me since Friday. No texts, e-mails, phone calls, postcards…”

                “My postcard wouldn’t even get to you before today. They don’t deliver mail on the weekend.”

                Christine punched Jeremy in the arm. There was barely any strength behind it, but Jeremy exaggerated the pain he felt from it. “You know that was hyperbole! Seriously, though, I thought maybe you were upset after the movie.”

                “I thought YOU were upset! I was giving you space. Besides, it was just the weekend. I knew I’d see you today.” Even if they did miss each other at lunch again.

                Christine shook her head, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. “I guess… I was just being silly. So, are we good?”

                Jeremy tightened his lips. He didn’t think they were fine, but how did he tell her that?

                **Ask her to tutor you.**

                “I… could use a bit of tutoring, if you have the time.”

                “Well, I guess I have time Mondays and Thursdays where I could help you. Wednesday and Friday are play rehearsal, and I have vocal classes after school on Tuesday.” Jeremy didn’t know about the lessons, but with the play being a musical, it makes sense she might need them.

                “Are you… free tonight?” Jeremy ventured. It was very on the spot, but there was a chance she might say yes.

                Christine took a while to think about this, then pulled out her phone. “Let me check.” She tapped the screen a few times, then walked a few steps away, phone pressed against her ear. Jeremy rocked on his heels anxiously, waiting to find out the answer. She came back a few minutes later. “I have to be back in time for dinner, but Mom doesn’t mind at all.”

                Jeremy tried to hide his excitement at this, and failed. His arm came out and jerked down in a fist pump. As it happened, he tried to stop it, but it was too late, and any action he took to stop it just made it all worse. He grabbed the arm with his free hand and lowered it awkwardly. All the while, he was painfully aware of Christine’s eyes on him.

                “You know, it’s all right for you to show your emotions. It’s sweet. It’s honest. It’s spontaneous!” As if to punctuate this statement, Christine spun around in front of him, then drummed on his belly. “If everything were predictable, the world would be boring.”

                **I would like to disagree.**

                _Quiet, you._

                Christine pulled on Jeremy’s arm, leading him away. “Should be head to the library now?”

                “Actually, I was kind of hoping we could do it at my place?”

                Christine leveled him a stern look. “Oh, I think I know what kind of ‘studying’ you’re thinking of, Jeremy, and that won’t help you get anywhere.” Then she tilts her head to the side. “Then again, perhaps it will be a good motivator for you. All right, let’s go to your place, but actual studying first.”

                Michael had already left for the day, which meant Jeremy and Christine either had to walk or take the bus. A quick glance at the schedule showed they had missed the “student express” as some have nicknamed the first bus after school, so they elected to walk instead of wait for the next one. All the way there, Christine quizzed him on various facts she could remember off the top of her head. Jeremy couldn’t answer more of them, making lousy guesses on half and never coming close to getting lucky.

                Once safely inside the Heere house, the pair removed their coats and boots before finding a place to set up. Mr. Heere was still at work, so there was no one around to interrupt them no matter where they went. Christine scouted a place on the couch, then noticed the monstrosity taking up the center of the room. “Is that a Bowflex?”

                Jeremy’s socked feet padded in, looking around the corner. “Oh. Yeah. Mom bought it for Dad to use a couple years ago.” He almost mentioned how little it’s been used, but the laundry hanging to dry off the various spokes said that for him. “I’ve kind of gotten used to it being there. Do you want me to move it?”

                Christine shook her head, hair tumbling all about. “It’s fine. It just surprised me is all. You didn’t seem the type to use one.” She reached into her backpack to pull out a book, the paused as she rested it on her lap. “Where is your mom, anyway?”

                A cloud fell over Jeremy’s face. “No idea. Can we get back to studying now? I’d rather memorize dates than talk about her.”

                Christine frowned. “What do you mean? What happened?”

                “Please, Christine, don’t push me…”

                “But I just want to know-“

                “SHE LEFT, OKAY!” Jeremy tightened his jaw, trying to hold his temper in check. Christine had curled back, holding the book in front of her face like a shield, eyes peering past with concern and a slight bit of fear. “Just after exams last spring. I knew they’d been unhappy for a while, always yelling at each other. Then, when I was at my last exam and he had left for work, she took a suitcase and left. Haven’t heard from her since. Happy now?”

                Christine certainly didn’t look happy. She looked sorry that she had asked, and Jeremy felt guilty in the pit of his stomach, but not guilty enough to apologize. “Jeremy…”

                “Trigonometric functions are on the exam, right?” His tone was sharp, speech rushed.

                “R-right. We have to memorize the values for 30, 45, 60, 90 and 0 degrees for all the functions. No calculators or phones.” She didn’t ask about his mother again, and he didn’t volunteer anything more. It was all business from that point on, and Jeremy realized it was all his fault. As the session went on, the guilt built up inside him and the tension in the air felt stifling. But it’s too late now. It's not like he could just apologize now, right?

                **Why not?**

                The question was so simple, it could have been his own voice. But it wasn’t. The squip didn’t stop him from talking about his mom, but is pushing him on this? There’s probably a reason.

                A beep came from Christine’s backpack, and she pulled out her phone. “Oh, I need to get going if I want to get home in time.” She tapped a few times on her phone before putting it away. “My UBER is going to be here in 4 minutes, so we should probably pack up.”

                “Wait, Christine!” Jeremy said hurriedly. She finished putting all her belongings back in her bag before looking at Jeremy. When he didn’t continue, she made a gesture, indicating that she’s waiting for him to speak.

                “I’m sorry about earlier. About my mom. I- it’s still pretty recent, and I haven’t talked about it with anyone. Even Michael only knows the most basic details. I didn’t mean to yell at you like that.”

                Christine stood up with purpose. “It’s fine, Jeremy. I kind of get it. But… maybe you should talk about it with someone. You clearly aren’t as over it as you think you are.” Her phone beeped again. “My ride’s here, and I can’t keep him waiting. I’ll see you tomorrow at school.” Jeremy just watched from the couch as she walked out to the entrance, then heard the door open and close.

                Annoyed, Jeremy spun to face the squip. “Well, that was smooth. Fucking Bowflex! Why did you even let me bring her in here? I thought you could see the future!”

                **You forget, Jeremy, I can only see possible futures. Also, while the probability amplitudes might fluctuate a bit, they indicate a future where this all happens, but you’re happier for it.**

                “What, I’m supposed to think this misery is worth it?”

                **Occasionally, Jeremy, things have to get worse before they can start getting better.**

                “And what makes you think this is one of those times?”

                **To explain the full calculations would take far too long, and I doubt you’d understand most of them anyway. Even if I did explain and you understood, knowing the future might make you act different than if you knew nothing at all. Just trust me for now.**

                “Right. Because trust in you has always led to good things.”

                **Did you or did you not end up with Christine?**

                Jeremy paused. He wanted to yell back a reply, but he couldn’t deny that somehow, through all the pain and misery everyone went through, he did get what he ultimately wanted. “A-are you saying you PLANNED all this?”

                **Not me. As I keep reminding you, my matrix is from a different timeline. However, there is a possibility that becoming an enemy was the most logical solution to your problem the other SQUIP could think of.**

                “w- Logical!?”

                **Perhaps not to you then, or even now, but if you could see as much as I can, you’d understand how intertwined even the smallest detail is.**

                “And that justifies enslaving all my friends?”

                **They weren’t really your friends before. Now they are. A shared negative opinion-**

                “-is the fastest social bond, yeah. I know.” Jeremy snarled as these words come back again. “But is it a lasting one? Is it one worth keeping?”

                **That depends on what you do to maintain it.**

                Jeremy gaped at the avatar. Was this what pure logic, without emotion, really looked like? Besides, after so much math homework, he didn’t feel like having a philosophy debate with himself. “That’s enough for today. Shut down.” The avatar flickered for a second before fading away. Jeremy ran upstairs to his bedroom, flopped on his bed and lay there until his father got home.


	9. Jacob in the Bathroom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeremy is trapped with the last person he wanted to see.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the long pause. Life really kicked my ass this last month and a half, plus I needed a bit of time to figure out where this story was going to be headed. I think I've got everything sorted out in the short term, though, so welcome back to the story.

                It was quite early before school, and Jeremy hurried into the boy’s bathroom. Last fall, he had done his best to get to school early, so that he could hang out and talk with others before classes began. He kept this habit going in the new term, even if most of the people he hung out with were… different with him. But this morning, on the way to school, his stomach started bothering him, so he ducked into the washroom and entered a stall. It was very quiet there, and allowed him to think before things started up.

                **Already? I didn’t think you needed help with your daily routine at school any more.**

Jeremy sighed. He had gotten better about turning the squip on and off, but there were still moments like these where it got turned on by accident. _I don’t, and I probably won’t be seeing Christine today, either, so… sorry for waking you up._

**Well, now that I’m here and you have a few minutes, is there anything you’d like to talk about? Part of my duties is also to maintain your mental health, at least after some 1.0 subjects reacted poorly to direction.**

So much for ‘going insane’ being merely a coincidence of those early users. _I’m fine. For now, at least._ Since his privacy is now gone, and his business is done

                He stood up and crossed to the other side of the room to wash his hands. He shook his hands once before reaching towards the hand dryer. That’s when he saw Jake Dillinger limp into the bathroom. He had long since lost the crutches he needed for his legs, but he still has a boot cast on both feet to ease the strain on his legs. The two locked eyes, and Jeremy felt trapped.

                He had always hated Jake, even before he started dating Christine. Explaining why, though, was something that generally eluded him. The guy never picked on him directly, or ever really talked to him in a meaningful way. However, while Jeremy grew tall yet slim, Jake filled out, having a full 2 inches up on Jeremy, and about 80 pounds of bulk. His family was always wealthy, although might just have been because of them laundering money. He even heard a rumour that the guy was identified gifted, but chose to come to Middle Borough for high school. He was the guy every boy wanted to be, and that every girl wanted to be with.

                Jeremy hated him for every single one of those reasons, and more. And he hated himself if he ever thought about why.

                Even now, after the play, Jake and Jeremy had barely spoken to each other. During the group circle, when they rehearsed lines, Jeremy made a point of sitting next to Christine while Jake was often at the opposite side. And outside of reciting lines or stage blocking, he never really felt Jake glance in his direction. Even the invitation to the party was more as Brooke’s guest than through him. Really, outside of him threatening to castrate Jeremy when Chloe cornered him in the Dillinger master bedroom, they barely interacted. There was maybe a brief exchange just before he asked out Christine, but he was so nervous that day, almost everything but Christine’s “yes” has fled his brain now. It’s not that he was actively avoiding Jake, but he had been careful to minimize any chance encounters. Just like this one here.

                Jake paused briefly before giving Jeremy a chin nod, the preferred greeting at Middle Borough. “’Sup?”

                Jeremy returned with a full nod. “Hey.” He slammed on the dryer’s button and stuck his hands under the vent.

                Jake hobbled over towards the disabled stall. He banged the door open, slipped inside, and Jeremy could hear the metal slide against metal as the lock slid into place. Jeremy decided this would be the time to make his exit, but just like with Rich all those months ago, Jake trapped him with his words. “So, uh… how’s Christine these days?”

                Jeremy winced all over. He could just pretend he didn’t hear Jake over the dryer’s fan, or that he had already snuck out, but for whatever reason, he stayed where he was and answered. “She’s… she’s good. Been going over her lines for the play a lot. She got the lead role again.”

                “She did? Cool.” Silence filled the bathroom once more. Jeremy inched closer to the exit. “She doesn’t, like, hate me or anything, does she? After the party, I mean.”

                “Uh… I dunno. We don’t really talk about you.”

                Jake grunts. Jeremy hoped it was in response to his comment and not for… other reasons. “She was kind of weird, constantly talking about her dress and how I didn’t listen or something. I wasn’t really paying attention, honestly. Then I went to check on Chloe and you were in there fucking…”

                “Nothing happened!” Jeremy said quickly, defending himself. “She kind of wanted to… to get back at you or Brooke. Maybe both of you? But we just talked, I swear.”

                “I know all that, now. What, you think I didn’t talk to her at all in the 3 months we got back together? Bro, how shallow do you think I am?” Jeremy elected not to answer that. “Besides, I guess it doesn’t matter since she broke up with me again. I saw she was talking to you the other day at lunch. Did she tell you why?”

                “Oh, uh… something to do with Katrina, I think.”

                “Really? That was 2 year ago now, and she’s still not over it? I swear, sometimes, I’m just about ready to swear off girls…”

                Jeremy felt his face get really hot. He couldn’t quite explain why, but if half of Jenna’s rumours were to be believed, Jake had a LOT of experience with girls. If he was seriously ready to swear off them… no, that’s silly. He’s just being hyperbolic. He’s totally not into guys… is he?

                “Hey, dude! You still out there?”

                Jeremy shook his head clear. “Y-yeah, why?”

                “This is kind of embarrassing, but… I can’t stand up. You’re kind of skinny. Think you can slip under the door there and help a brother out?”

                “Uh…” One glance at the floor of a high school bathroom is enough to make even the slovenliest teen become a germophobe for a moment. The thought of touching it with anything but the soles of his shoes was enough to give him pause. “Not under, but if you really need help-“

                “And I do.”

                “Then… I guess I could try climbing over?” As he said this, Jeremy was already entering the neighbouring stall and stepping up onto the toilet seat. His head was now high enough to look down on Jake (for the first time since he’d known the guy), and he did indeed seem to be struggling to push himself up.

                Jake notices the exposed head and waved Jeremy over. “Hurry up! I think my leg’s fallen asleep, and it’s hard enough with these massive clunkers on my legs.”

                Jeremy tightened his lips as he prepared these next steps. He wasn’t used to hurdling walls and fences, but he had the idea down in principle. He carefully put one foot on the toilet dispenser, testing to see how well it’d hold his weight. Then, after a couple test lunges, pushed himself up, swinging the other leg up to hook the top of the wall. A little effort later, and Jeremy managed to pull himself up so he straddled the wall. Now, the hard part: getting down without hurting himself or making full-on contact with the nasty floor.

                Leaning slowly over to the other side, Jeremy’s body slid down the wall, so he had a Spiderman-esque pose against it. He kept both hands firmly grabbing the top as he pulled his hind foot, still resting atop the wall. Millimeter by millimeter, his Converse sneaker slid along until gravity took hold and pulled the leg down. The shock of his whole body descending, splayed out against the wall, was too much for his poor fingers, and he was forced to let go. On the upside, he didn’t have far to fall. On the downside, the shock pushed his body backwards and he instinctively braced himself with his bare hands. His mind screamed at how they weren’t clean any more, and he’ll have to wash them again.

                The lanky boy pushed himself to his feet before he looked at Jake again. He had briefly worried the guy would be snickering at his clumsy climb, but making fun of him was the last thing on Jake’s mind. “Cool. Now give me your hand and pull me up. Don’t know why, but this bar just isn’t working for me.”

                Jeremy did as instructed, and Jake grabbed him up by the elbow. Jeremy’s hand didn’t quite reach the elbow, but he grabbed where he could. With Jeremy pulling, and Jake’s other hand pushing on the handrail, the former jock swung his way up to his feet. This triggered the automatic flush of the toilet, which Jeremy thought made for the worst victory music ever.

                **You will forever be doomed to be a nerd, won’t you?**

                Jeremy looked up to see the squip sitting along the top of the outer wall of the stall, the one Jeremy didn’t climb over. He waved a hand, an amused smile on his face as he watched the antics below.

                **Best not get distracted by me. The fun part of the show is about to start!**

                Jeremy didn’t know what the squip meant, but Jake’s flustered expression told him that he’d soon find out.

                “So, uh… I know I asked a lot of you so far, but… I need you to pull my pants up.”

                “WHAT!?”

                Jake shushed him before saying softly. “Look, I barely got up and it’s hard for me to bend over. I could get them off just fine, but since I couldn’t grab them as I stood up…”

                Jeremy closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He didn’t know how or when he ended up in some raunchy teen comedy movie, but if this was his life now, all he can do is take it in stride. He crouched down and grabbed the waistband of both his jeans and underwear. Best to make only one trip instead of two, right? Then he slowly stood up, trying hard not to look straight at Jake’s manhood. However, just like when you’re told not to think about something, Jeremy’s eyes focus squarely on his penis.

                He had never been concerned about penis sizes before. The fact that guys might worry its length or girth or shape never even dawned on him until it got mentioned in health class. It was one of the few insecurities he lacked. Even so, with this quick peek at Jake’s exposed nether regions, he couldn’t help but compare subconsciously. Overall, it seemed more or less the same. From a snapshot, the dimensions seemed similar. Not that Jeremy memorized his own dick size, but with all his web “surfing”, he’s seen it quite often. Still, it was only based on a glance for a split second before it got covered in fabric once more, obscuring the details.

                Jake fastened his jeans and belt, then gave Jeremy a solid slap on the shoulder. “Thanks, my dude. I owe you big time. I mean, I probably could’ve gotten up eventually, but that might’ve taken hours.”

                “No problem,” Jeremy said, absently. “Cute boxers, by the way.”

                “Oh, thanks! Yeah, they’re really comfy, too.” Jake seemed to have no shame. Another reason Jeremy hated the guy.

                Jake slid the lock open and stepped out. Just like Rich, Jake didn’t stop by the sink, just walking out the door back to the school proper. This only prompted Jeremy to wash his hands twice, and open the door out with his sleeve.


End file.
